Dear Chieko
by PrincessT123
Summary: Hinata, probably the most unpopular girl at school, is teaming up with some cheerleaders to take down one of the snobbiest girls in the school. Meanwhile, as her life drowns in turmoil, she confides in Chieko, the author of an advice column who seems to know just how to fix all of her problems. But Hinata had no idea Chieko was her life-time crush! That's gotta be trouble.
1. Something Different

Dear Chieko

~Chapter One: Something different

**A/N: **HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I had some mighty fine food, thank you very much! This story will be dedicated to my good friend, Hamda. I wish you a happy reading lol Please remember to review :)

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

They say the more names you have, the more you're loved.

The names I've been given throughout elementary school all the way up to my junior year in high school go as followed:

Blueberry (Referring to my hair color)

Shy guy (Referring to my shy nature)

Stalker (…no comment)

Zippers (Referring to how I never speak… "Zipped lips")

Frump (Referring to my frumpy clothing style)

So then…was I loved?

My guess: not so much. 

Ever since elementary school, people have teased me for things I just couldn't help, and along with the teasing came nicknames. I was a little weird compared to the others, I guess. For one, I didn't have parents. My mother died giving birth to my younger sister, Hanabi, and my father committed suicide over my mother's death. My cousin, who's eighteen, owns his own apartment which Hanabi and I inhabit as well. It's thanks to him that the two of us were saved from the Hyuga Manor.

The second of many reasons I was picked on happened to be my love for animals, and one animal in particular, the ever hated cat. Sure, many people _claimed_ they loved cats but when it really came down to it, they'd chuckle at an abuse story. I was made fun of because I'd burst into tears at the very mention of these stories. And no, I'm not speaking of elementary school. I'm actually referring to high school. I can't stop myself. But at least I'm not violent. That would be a problem for everyone, I'm sure.

I'm a nuisance to most people and, as you could guess, I have only one friend. She's a senior and dating my cousin. So really, she almost _has _to be my friend, but she does a really good job at it. She listens to my problems and takes me out places. Mostly, she's over at our house because her father is an alcoholic and her mother was killed in a car crash many years ago, which is good for me because we have sleepovers a bunch. She sleeps in Neji's room on weeknights, though.

Anyway, my fourteen year old sister is ever popular and is on the cheer squad. She's out partying most of the time, even when Neji insists she stays home. It doesn't faze her, though. Neji is on the academic team and also plays baseball with Kiba, who generally visits on a four day basis each week. He's nice to me and even tries to flirt, which I find very flustering, but when he sees me in school, he never makes an attempt to say hello. It's sad, really. People actually go out of their way not to say hi to me.

Are you shocked?

…

"Your English assignments are due next Thursday," Kakashi sensei says while turning away from the chalkboard to look us all in the eyes. "I presume half of the class will actually do the assignment and the other half will make up a story on the dot during presentations." A few grumbles of agreement follow, causing Kakashi to sigh. "Just do your best. The person with the best story will have theirs posted on the school website and will earn a coupon to Ichiraku ramen. So do well!"

The bell rings then, signaling the end of the day. Everyone stands and Karin, captain of the cheer team, instructs the class to bow. I gather my items and shove them into my Toradora backpack. The sooner I get out of this hellhole, the better. Normally, I'm the last one to leave but for the past few weeks, Karin and her crew have been staying behind for cheer meetings. Yesterday, they caught me on my way out and let me tell you, it wasn't pretty.

I hurry for the door, head down, my eyes darting from one pair of shoes to the other, trying not to step on any. When I reach the door, I lift my head up and reach for the handle. But someone's voice freezes me in my steps.

"Hey, frump!" someone calls. I can tell whose voice it is because none other than Karin can make their voice sound high and shrill yet low and masculine at the same time. I turn slowly, inwardly cringing as the thoughts of what may possibly happen to me this time come swimming through my head. Karin is seated atop my desk, her mini skirt hiked up so high that her underwear is visible. Her magenta hair is pulled into two high pigtails, a very unflattering look for her.

I swallow whatever fear is climbing up my throat at that moment and give a shy smile. "Yes?" I say as politely as possible. I'm not a very impolite person to begin with, so whatever I say comes out as nice no matter what kind of turmoil is stirring up inside of me. Karin twists her lips to the side, as if she's pondering what to say.

Yeah, like that was possible.

"The festival for the starting of the school year is coming up soon. Do you have a date?" she inquires. Although, for some odd reason her voice isn't nearly as poisonous as it usually is.

I clear my throat and say, "No. Why?"

Karin smirks. "Good. I mean, I didn't think you would have one but I needed to make sure. You're running the kissing booth."

My heart stutters as Karin's words register in my mind. The whole cheer team, consisting of Karin, Ino, Temari, Hana, Matsuri, Sasame, Fuka, and Kin, begin to snicker. I can feel a headache kicking in and my gut clenches in a way that I know I have to find a bucket soon. "Hey," Fuka says, interrupting their snickering. Everyone turns to her. "I thought I was running the kissing booth. I have way more experience than her!"

Ino rolls her eyes. "Well duh, you've only kissed every guy in this school!"

"Enough," Karin says sharply, and turns to me. "You're running the kissing booth. End of story. Now, you'll probably need to take lessons on how to kiss and…you'll definitely have to go shopping for something to wear." Her eyes rake over me from head to toe, starting with my worn out, purple converse and working her way up to my knee-high school skirt and white blouse. She clucks her tongue against her cheek. "Strike that. Hana will let you borrow some of her clothes."

The brunette doesn't seem to mind but I'm sure she's inwardly shooting me in the chest right about now.

"Are we clear?" Karin asks in her usual snotty tone. I nod curtly. "Fine. Then leave."

And I do.

…

"There you are," Tenten says as I walk through the front door of my cousin's apartment. She and Neji are sprawled out on the floor, a bowl of honey-drizzled popcorn resting on Tenten's stomach. She sits up, handing the bowl to Neji, and makes her way towards me. "I waited for you but you were taking too long. Neji said he'd leave without me."

I step over her red legging-clothed legs and head for my room down the hall, throwing an "it's okay" over my shoulder. I know Tenten hadn't meant to leave without me and she obviously had a good reason, too, but I wasn't in the mood for speaking right now. I had a problem. Karin had done many things to me. She'd humiliated me, hurt me, broken me, but now she'd gone way too far. She was about to rob me of my first kiss.

Yeah, that's right. Hinata Hyuga, loved and cherished and pegged with many names, hadn't had her first kiss. Honestly, it's no surprise. Just because Kiba sometimes flirts with me-and I'm not even sure it's really flirting since I'm not experienced in that area-it doesn't mean I'm eligible to be kissed. Who would even want to kiss me?

I let out a small breath, somewhat of a gasp, as my mind finally registers everything. I, the least popular and probably most disgusting girl in every guy's eyes, was pegged with the job of manning the kissing booth. There would be no business, no line, and no money raised if I was the one working the kissing booth, and Karin knew it. That's why she put me up to it. So everyone could see just how lonely and hated I really am.

Well I had news for her. I was definitely not doing it. She couldn't make me. I mean, what was she going to do if I refuse? Drag me by my hair?

I kick my door closed and land on my bed with a thump. "This is officially the second worst day of my life," I mumble.

"What was your first?"

I sit straight up, as if someone had just electrocuted my lower spine. My eyes begin to burn as I search frantically, hopelessly for the intruder. And then my eyes land on the man seated in my purple desk chair, one leg crossed over the other. His dark eyes gleam in the sunlight filtering through my window blinds.

"How did you get in here?" I ask.

He smirks. "Are you happy to see me or not?"

"Kiba," I say in a serious tone. His smirk vanishes and a look of sadness replaces it.

"What happened to make it the second worst day of your life, hotcakes?" he asks, and rises to his feet. I slide back so that I can feel the backboard of my bed through the fabric of my shirt. He laughs at this. "I'm not going to eat you. Rape you, maybe." My eyes widen. "I'm joking! I'm joking!"

"Why are you in my room?" I ask, avoiding his question.

"I believe I asked you first." He says while taking a seat at the end of my bed.

I sigh through my nose. "Karin," I say. "Now why are you in my room?"

"She's always trying to get on your bad side," Kiba says while completely ignoring my question. "Too bad for her you don't have a bad side."

"I do too." I argue, although it's not very convincing by my childish tone.

"I think that's what drives her forward," he continues. "The fact that she just can't break you,"

"She's broken me plenty of times," I mumble. "She just enjoys seeing my crumble."

"You're not a cookie, Hinata," he says, and scoots closer. "You're sweet, but you're not a cookie." I blush at the compliment and avert my gaze to my trembling hands. Why was I so nervous? Oh yeah, right, because a guy was in my room, _on my bed _with me. "What did she do this time?"

I decide to tell him. I mean, maybe if I do then he'll help me out. Karin had a crush on Kiba-she was in love with Sasuke, but I believed Kiba was her second choice. So in any attempt of help of possibly freedom, I confide in this tease.

"She asked me to work the kissing booth." I say quietly.

Kiba stares at me for a moment, one so long that I have to avert my gaze once again to my hands that are now leaving sweat marks on my pants. I try to rub them away but they're stained there. Evidence of my everlasting failure. Finally, Kiba speaks. "And you obliged?"

"I didn't have a choice," I defend quietly.

"You said she asked you-"

"I meant she told me to," I say. "And I'm supposed to wear Hana's clothes and take kissing lessons and-"

"Wait, Hana? From the cheer squad?" Kiba interrupts.

"Yeah, why?"

"That's my sister," Kiba exclaims with a small smile. "Hey, if you don't want to do this then I'll just take it up with her, okay?" he places a hand on my knee, to which my eyes widen.

Wait a second, it worked! Kiba had freed me! I actually felt like…like…kissing him! Woah girl, let's not go that far…He was still a tease. And a creepy one at that.

I smile back and place my hand on top of his. "Thanks, Kiba. I couldn't; have asked for more." His eyes dart to my hand and in an instant, he's off of the bed, his face turned away from me. My heart ceases to beat for a moment. What had I just done?

A millisecond later, Kiba's phone vibrates and he picks it up. "Hello?" he says. After a short pause, he turns to me, cheeks rosy pink. "She's right here with me, actually. But sis, I need to talk to you about this. Hinata doesn't want to-" he pauses, cringes. "Okay fine. Bye." He hangs up the phone and slips it back into his pocket.

"You're coming with me," he says.

"Where to?" I ask nervously.

"Hana wants to speak in person," he says. "So we're going to my house."

"Oh, um…actually, I sort of have some homework and I have to take care of my neighbor's pets…"

"Come on," he urges, and grabs my hand. His cheeks redden even further, as well as mine, and he pulls me off of my bed. "You're coming whether you like it or not. I mean, you don't have much of a choice, do you?" he grins.

"Do I ever?" I whisper, and follow him into the hallway. "Wait," I say, stopping him before we reach the living room. "You never told me why you were in my room."

"Oh," he says. "Neji invited me over. I had to use the bathroom and just sort of stumbled upon your room," he shrugs. "It smelled nice in there." I turn away, cheeks hot. "Hey Neji, I'm taking Hinata to my house until dinner time. Hana wants to see her, not me, so quit giving me that look!"

"I didn't even glare at you yet," Neji states.

"I saw it coming." Kiba says with a shrug, and heads for the door. "Don't worry about that essay, Hinata," he adds as he walks me to his car. "It's not due for another few days."

I inwardly sigh. How did he know that's what I was going to do? Am I that predictable?

…

As we enter Kiba's house, which is fairly big and made of pretty, smoky colored stone, I can feel the warmth of the whole house envelope me. The scents-vegetable pot roast on the stove, a fireplace crackling in the back of the house, dogs scampering around-clench my heart in a way that I've never felt before. I felt so…at ease. And at home.

Kiba slips his shoes off and motions for me to do the same. Three tiny puppies come scurrying towards me, yapping their mouths off in a way that makes me both cringe and giggle. Kiba laughs. "Down, boys," the dogs take a seat on the ground, their tails wagging back and forth eagerly.

"Wow, they listen very well." I comment.

"It's a gift," he says with a shrug. "Hana, Hinata and I are home!"

From around the corner, Hana comes all clad in a puppy-print apron and blue slippers. "Hi," she says with a wide smile. "You're welcome to stay for dinner."

"It smells wonderful but I'd better not intrude," I say shyly.

"Nonsense; the more the merrier!" she exclaims. And how could I say no to that? "Come in and make yourself at home. Kiba, I have to leave for the vet at eight so you'll need to clean up the dishes and take care of the dogs before bed." Kiba nods and motions for me to take a seat on one of the leather couches. I do so, and he takes the seat beside me.

Hana brings over a tray of brownies and shoves them into my face. "First impressions are always something big," she explains. I take a brownie with a small smile. "To tell you the truth, I just didn't want you thinking of me as one of the other cheerleaders." She sets the tray down on the coffee table and takes a seat across from me and Kiba.

"Oh, um, I didn't think-"

"I know exactly what you think," Hana cuts in. "With the way Karin treats you, I wouldn't be surprised if you turned into one of those crazed killers who shoots all of the popular…girls…" she begins to trail off at the way Kiba is looking at her, and I guess also at the way my face is heating a degree I never imagined possible.

"I'm no killer, I assure you." I say quietly.

"I didn't think that!" she exclaims.

"Hana, just get to the point. Why'd you wanna talk to her?" Kiba says while going in for his third brownie.

Hana gives him a small glare. "Hinata, I want you to do the kissing booth," she says. I almost choke on the small piece of brownie in my mouth and Kiba places a hand on my back.

"Hana," he says in a warning tone.

"Let me finish, huh?" she says in irritation. "It's not because I agree with Karin. In fact, it's because I don't agree with her."

"I'm not following," I say with furrowed eyebrows.

Just then, the doorbell rings.

"Who's that?" Hana asks.

"I may have invited someone over for dinner…" Kiba says quietly.

"Not Naruto again," Hana groans. "Bring him to your room. Hinata and I really need to speak." Kiba nods and reaches for the plate of brownies, to which Hana rolls her eyes. And then he's gone, at the door with Naruto.

"Hiya Hana!" Naruto calls from the front door. The girl's eyebrow twitches and she plasters on a fake, toothy smile.

"Dammit," she says, barely moving her mouth.

I turn around slowly, my heart racing in my chest. Naruto had always been some sort of hero in my mind. He was funny, cute, charming, and most importantly, nice. Once my neck has turned at an angle that seriously begins to hurt, I can see the boy clearly in his orange hoodie, khaki pants, and black converse. His eyes land on me and my cheeks begin to burn like a flame.

"Hinata? What are you doing here? I didn't know you and Kiba were dating-" Kiba places a hand on the boy's mouth and gives a sheepish grin.

"We'll be in my room." He says, and drags the blond up the stairs.

"Took you long enough," Hana mutters. I turn back to her and take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. The brunette before me continues as if nothing had ever happened. "You see what's in front of you, don't you?"

Was she trying to confuse me or help me?

"What I'm saying is, you don't see what's behind the masks that some of the girls on the cheer team wear," she explains.

"I guess not…" I say slowly.

"Sorry I'm speaking in riddles. Let me tell you something about me. I work two jobs: one at the vet, which is from eight pm to eleven pm and another at the bakery just down the street from eleven am to twelve pm." I raised my eyebrows. "I know what you're thinking. My father's fighting in another country right now and mom, well…she's taking some time off. She's come down with something bad."

"I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"So I do the chores, work two jobs, and, well, take care of those two upstairs," she rolls her eyes with a small grin. "I cook dinner and I even work the soup kitchen on Sunday. You didn't think I was that kind of person, did you?"

"I didn't even know you were Kiba's sister," I mumble sheepishly.

Hana laughs. "Well here's something else for your list of surprises. I'm not on the cheer team because I like to cheer or even because I like the people. I'm there because it looks good on scholarships and it helped me to land my two jobs."

"Oh," I say. "I had no idea…"

"So that may not explain why I'm against Karin," she says while taking a bite of her half-eaten brownie. "But it does give me some brownie points, aye?" she holds up her brownie while nodding her head in approval at her pun. I crack a smile. Hana wasn't too bad.

"Well, thanks for telling me. I'm glad I know now." I say.

"I'm not the only one," Hana says. "Matsuri, Sasame, and Temari aren't who you think either. Temari is on the cheer team because of scholarships, and also because her boyfriend, Shikamaru, plays on the football team and she likes to be there for him. She actually despises cheering very much. Matsuri and Sasame are freshmen and they just want to be with the in crowd, but let me tell you, those two are sweeter than apple pie. Plus, they think Karin is a total slut."

Hallelujah for that.

"I'm about to tell you something that you can never repeat to anyone else ever again, okay?" she says while leaning in closely. I swallow. She trusted me with this? Me? I nod nonetheless. "Well, us four are planning a rebellion or overthrow, rather, of Karin."

"An overthrow of Karin?" I reiterate. "I'm not sure if I understand…"

"Sasame, Matsuri, Temari, and I are planning on getting rid of the bitch once and for all," she explains.

"Oh gosh…" I place a hand over my mouth. "You don't mean…?"

"No!" Hana shouts before bursting into laughter. "We're not going to kill her! I meant we want to elect a new captain and get her thrown off the squad. But we'll need your help."

"My help?" I inquire.

She nods. "This is why you're working the kissing booth."

"Oh."

"You'll have every guy in school lined up to kiss you and before you know it, you'll be more popular than ever. Then we'll get the plan really rolling."

"And what is the plan?" I ask, frightened for the answer.

"You'll see," she says with a small grin.

Oh great.

"HANA!" Naruto calls from the second floor, to which the brunette frowns.

"Excuse me," she says, and starts for the stairs.

I place a hand to my stuttering heart and try to take a breath. They wanted me to kiss every guy in the school? Well, that wasn't really the worst part. But…maybe if I told Hana that I'd never had my first kiss then she'd feel sorry for me and call this whole thing off? Yeah right. She's probably been planning this for weeks.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps alerts me and I turn in time to see Kiba, Hana, and Naruto jogging down the stairs. Naruto gives me a wide grin and places a hand at the top of my head. "It's good to see you, Hinata," he says. "You and I don't talk much."

"Naruto," Kiba growls, and smacks his arm. "Quit touching her!"

The blond sticks his tongue out at him. "You can't keep her silky hair to yourself, dog breath! You two aren't even dating!" he leans towards me and whispers, "Right?"

"Uh" is all I can say.

"You're making her nervous!" Hana shouts from the kitchen. "Leave her alone and get to the table. Dinner's ready." Kiba turns to me, Naruto already heading for the kitchen.

"Come on," he says. "Just ignore the moron."

"He's not bothering me." I say quietly while following him to the table. The four of us take our seats and Hana passes around the ladle. I look around as Kiba spoons his soup into his bowl. "Is your mother coming?" I inquire. Kiba falters, and then continues.

"Sorry, you must have misunderstood," Hana says while dipping her bread into her soup. "Our mother isn't here. She's in the hospital being treated."

"Oh," I say quietly.

It's silent for a moment, and then Naruto says, "Well I'm stumped!"

"Nothing new," Kiba mumbles, to which Naruto ignores.

"What about?" Hana asks boredly.

"I have no ideas about my project for Kakashi," he complains.

"Woah, already thinking about that? Don't you have this thing where you wait until the last minute and then miraculously pass with a C?" Kiba says with a snicker. Naruto tosses a role of bread at his head and continues with his head titled up, as if he can't be beat.

"Should I write an adventure story or something steamy?" he says thoughtfully.

"Nothing too steamy," Hana says with a laugh. "Of course, with Kakashi sensei, he may just pass you."

"Or publish your story." Kiba says. And then everyone is laughing, even me. Naruto and I lock eyes and his grin widens.

"You have a pretty smile, Hinata! You should do it more often!" he says.

A blush dusts my cheeks at the compliment and I turn my attention towards my stew. "Naruto, why don't you write something inspirational?" I suggest quietly. The whole table is quiet.

"Like what?" he asks while chewing on a piece of bread.

"Umm…" I stir around my stew until all of the vegetables have surfaced. "Well, you're good at giving compliments and making people feel good about themselves so maybe…something like…an advice column?"

"He can't write an advice column," Kiba says.

"He could write about a story of a girl though," Hana chimes in. "A girl who's gone through so many hardships and needs some advice." She places two balled up fists to her chest and flutters her eyelashes. "An inspirational, heartfelt story of someone who helps her through her troubles and finds the light of hope!"

Kiba and Naruto turn to each other and then Kiba bursts into laughter. Hana spoons some soup into her mouth with a shrug, muttering something along the lines of "I thought it was good." Naruto turns to me with a light in his eyes. "That's not a bad idea," He says. "Not a bad idea…"

**A/N: **How was the first chappie? It was long, that's for sure -_- Please comment and tell me what you think! Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving! :D


	2. And the Winner is!

Chapter Two:

And the Winner is…!

**A/N: **Hi guys ^^ I figured since I'm on a role, I'd might as well keep 'em coming! Thanks a bunch for reading and commenting if you did! Enjoy :D

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

I place my wet towel on the hook to dry while shimmying into my school uniform. Tenten had decided to sleep in my room last night because it was Thursday and Kiba and Neji were playing video games. She'd decided not to get involved and to just surrender while she had the chance. Smart girl.

I slip into my knee high black stalkings and lightly kick Tenten in the arm. She rolls over to face me, two spheres of milky chocolate staring at me blankly. "School starts in twenty minutes," I say. "Neji isn't going to give you that ride if you don't get a move on." The brunette rolls her eyes and sits up.

"So tomorrow's the festival," she says. "Are you ready?"

It had been a week since my visit to Hana's house and my news about the kissing booth. I had told Tenten about Karin's nasty trick because, you know, she's my best friend but I hadn't told her about Hana's plan. I had promised not to tell anyone and that was exactly what I planned on doing…or not doing…

"As ready as possible," I say while glancing at myself in the mirror. "Hana says we're going to pick out my outfit tonight and then work on kissing techniques,"

"You know you could have asked me," she says while grabbing her brush and combing it through her hair. "You'd have a real live example right before you."

"Yeah, and that's exactly why I didn't." I say with a grimace. Tenten giggles.

"So, does Hana know that you haven't had your first kiss yet?" Tenten inquires.

"No," I say. "But I'll tell her tonight."

"You'd better," Tenten says while grabbing a hair tie and seating me on my bed. "Now sit still. I want to do your hair."

After ten minutes, Tenten, Neji, and I walk out of the apartment ready for school. I was dressed in my school uniform-knee high, black skirt and white blouse with my usual purple shoes-but my hair had been pulled into a high ponytail at the top of my head with two short pieces of hair framing my face and my bangs down, as usual. Tenten was wearing her school uniform as well, except she had the shorter version of the skirt, just as every girl in school other than me. She usually defied school rules and wore colorful stockings and charms, so it was no surprise to see her legs clad in green stockings and her shirt sleeves pinned with little cat charms.

Neji opens the car door and lets us into the back. "Where's Hanabi?" I ask as he starts the engine.

"She said she's sick," Neji answers, and pulls out of the lot.

"You know she's faking, right?" Tenten says, knowing I'm not bold enough to do it.

"We aren't discussing this," Neji says.

"I think we are," Tenten retorts with a smirk, to which Neji rolls his eyes.

Classic Tenten.

…

Guy sensei, my gym coach, sits atop the pulled in bleachers dangling Kankuro's phone in one hand and in the other, an orange. He takes a bite of the orange and lets out a bellow of laughter. "You puny boy," he shouts. "You're going to have to climb up here to get your phone back! Now put some muscle into it."

Today was fitness check day, the day where Guy sensei takes one of our possessions and sees if we can get it back by performing some strenuous task. So far, only Lee could accomplish the task of climbing up the flat, thirty foot expanse of bleachers to retrieve his photo of Sakura.

Kankuro wipes the sweat from his brow and takes a deep breath. "I'm coming for you, baby!" he shouts before taking a leap of faith (literally.) His fingers latch onto a small groove in-between two bleacher seats and he clings with all of his might. Being only ten feet up, his feet are only about three feet away from the ground. The brunette shuts his eyes tightly and begins to whimper. "I'm done!" he shouts before falling for the ground.

Guy sensei lets out a small sigh and lets the phone slip from his hand. Kankuro catches it with gleaming eyes and lets out a breath of relief. "Okay, next up is Karin," Guy sensei shouts. "What should I take from you?"

I turn to Karin in mild interest to see that her eyes are already on me. My heart skips a beat at the cunning look in her eyes. "You can take my best friend," she says with a small smirk. "Hinata-chan. Take Hinata-_chan._"

My eyes widen and out of nowhere, someone's arms wrap around my torso and lift me into the air. "No!" I shout while wriggling in their grip. "Let me down! Put me down!" whoever has their grip on me isn't willing to let go, though. I can feel their arms tighten around me as they take a step back. My eyes shut tightly as the person leaps into the air. A scream rips through the silent gym, and after a second of paralyzed fear, I realize it had come from me.

My eyes flutter open when I feel the warmth leave my stomach. I'm now sitting atop the bleachers beside Guy sensei. On the other side of me is none other than Naruto. My cheeks redden to the maximum degree life has ever known as he gives me a toothy grin. "Neh, Guy sensei, does this mean I pass?" he inquires.

Guy sensei lets out a chuckle and slaps his knee. "Yes, my brave little soldier, you pass!" he shouts in my ear. I cringe and turn to see all of the class staring up at us in bewilderment. Karin's expression is a mixture of anger and annoyance.

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto says quietly from beside me. I turn my head slightly to see his shy expression. "I finished my story. Thanks for that idea. I think it's a real winner." He smiles widely at me, to which I smile shyly back.

"That's great," I say.

"What did you write about?"

"Oh," my heart stutters in my chest. He actually wanted to know what I'd written about? "I wrote about a girl whose father was an alcoholic and abused her, but when she's in the woods one day, she finds a cat who magically fixes all of her problems. They become best friends and then…well, it's a happy ending."

"That's amazing," he says with wide eyes. "You should be an author!"

"Oh, um, no…I…"

"Karin, get your sorry butt up here and retrieve Hinata or you fail!" Guy sensei calls, shaking me out of my stuttering state. I turn to see the entire class's attention is focused on me and Naruto. I avert my gaze to my knees and begin to twiddle my thumbs.

Karin mutters something incoherent and takes out her earrings, which honestly made no sense since they were studs and wouldn't get in the way. Then the girl takes her hair out of its ponytail and shakes her head back and forth. "Coming for you, blueberry!" she calls with mock sweetness as she begins to crawl inch by inch up the bleachers. Once she's about seven feet up, she slips and falls to the ground, landing right on her rump.

The whole class erupts in laughter and a moment later, Karin is back on her feet with a glare directed at me. I sink into my seat, which Naruto notices. He places a hand on my knee and lets out a small laugh. "She's something. I don't know why she's always being mean to you."

You must be blind not to see it.

I nod in thanks and turn my attention back to Karin, who's halfway across the gym now. She takes a deep breath and then starts running. My eyes widen as she jumps into the air, does a flip, and smashes her face right into the bleachers. Everyone gasps as she begins to slip back to the ground, but she digs her nails into the cracks between the seats. Twenty five feet up now, she's closer than ever to me and I can see the fire in her eyes as she lifts her face to meet my gaze. She smiles, causing her lip to crack and a bit of blood to pool on her lower lip.

"Karin," Guy sensei says. "You've done well enough. You pass."

But Karin pays no mind to him. Instead, she pushes herself upward using her feet and clutches the edge of the top of the bleachers with her hands. Everyone is silent as she grasps onto my ankle and digs her nails into my skin. I wince as her eyes lock with mine. "Got you," she says before releasing me and retrieving Guy sensei's outstretched hand.

He pulls her to the top and gives her a pat on the back. "Well done," he says, and then the whole class cheers. "This means you don't have to run the mile next week. A job well done." Guy sensei presses a button which opens the bleachers so Karin can walk down. Guy sensei turns to me. "You've got one heck of a friend there."

I swallow the dryness in my throat as my eyes trail after Karin's back. That wasn't just her showing what she is. That was her showing what she's capable of, and that she has me. There's no way Hana's plan would work. Karin was already onto them.

…

"Is your ankle okay?" Kiba asks as I take my seat in English class. He was Neji's age but because of his bad grades from the previous year, Kiba had been held back to my grade level so he was in most of my classes.

"It's fine," I say while straightening my stockings. She'd cut through the skin with her killer nails since I'd been dressed in my gym shorts. My skin had been revealed to the enemy. Now my ankle was bruised the tiniest bit, but compared to Karin's face, it may as well have been a lick from a dog. Her nose was turning bluish green and her forehead was a sickly puke color. All of that to show me who was boss? She must not care as much about her looks as she lets on.

"Well that was uncalled for," Kiba says matter-of-factly even though he wasn't even there to witness it.

"Kiba, how did you even find out?" I ask with a small sigh.

"Naruto told me. He was pretty mad she did that," he says. "So what can I do? Hold your books?"

"I think the desk has that one covered," I say. But even though I seemed nonchalant on the outside, my insides were bubbling like a science experiment. Naruto cared about me? He cared that Karin had been mean to me and that she dug her nails into my skin! But why? I was just…me.

"Okay class," Kakashi sensei says as the bell rings. I turn to Kiba and motion for him to take his seat, which he does. "Today is the day I announce who won the contest. I stayed up all night reading and grading them last night so I hope you all appreciate it very much." The room is silent. "I guess you don't… Anyway, it was a close call between three stories so I decided to give the second and third place winners five extra credit points."

Come on…say it already!

"So the third place winner is…" he looks down at the sheet of paper in his hands. "Sakura Haruno, who wrote about the love of a child for his dying rabbit. Nicely done, Sakura." The class claps boredly as Kakashi enters her extra credit points into the computer. "Alright, second place goes to…Hinata Hyuga, who wrote of an abused girl and a magical cat! Congratulations, Hinata." He turns to the computer to enter my extra credit points.

Wait…I got second place? I mean, I don't mean to sound conceited but I was the best writer in the entire class. Who could have upped me?

"So the first place winner and the one to take home the coupon for Ichiraku ramen is…Naruto Uzumaki!" My and Kiba's mouths drop open. "I was quite surprised, to tell the truth, but he wrote a fascinating and touching story of a socially awkward girl who seeks advice from a stranger online. Very well done, Naruto."

Kiba and I share a look of shock as Naruto jumps to his feet with a wide grin. "I won! I won!" he shouts, and turns to me and Kiba. "Guys, I won! And it's all because of you, Hinata!" a second later, he's reaching over my desk to envelope me in a hug.

My eyes widen as I stare blankly over Naruto's shoulder at the rest of the class, who mirrors my expression. My cheeks redden as he squeezes tighter and starts rocking back and forth wildly, shaking me to and thro.

"Naruto, quit it!" Kiba shouts as his eyes dart to my chest. "Stop, Naruto!" he pulls Naruto off of me and places a hand on my shoulder, pushing me back down into my seat. I stare at the shocked faces of my classmates as Naruto and Kiba argue.

And then someone shouts:

"Shy guy has huge tits!"

This shuts Kiba and Naruto up quickly. A crimson blush paints me from head to neck as the whole class's eyes dart to my chest. I let out a soft squeak just as Kiba shouts, "You little prick!" and socks the guy responsible right in the jaw.

Naruto clenches his jaw before shouting over all of the yelling for everyone to mind their own business, which no one actually pays any attention to. Kakashi sensei watches with interest at the fighting before sitting back in his chair and picking up the school phone. Naruto turns to me then and reaches for my hand. "Come on," he says, although I can barely hear over all of the noise.

I don't even have a choice because before I can react, he grasps my hand and pulls me through the crowd to the door. Tears are beginning to sting in the corners of my eyes as I watch dozens of girls glare daggers at me and a select few guys cup their chests with laughter. Kiba takes a blow to the knee just as Naruto pushes me through the door and shuts it behind him.

"Oh my gosh," I whisper while cupping my mouth. Tears begin to stream down my cheeks and I quickly wipe them away with my index fingers. "I'm sorry," I say.

"For what? Kami, Hinata, are you okay? I'm so sorry; this is all my fault! I shouldn't have hugged you." He bows his head in shame.

"No, Naruto, I…thank you for hugging me," I stutter. He glances up at me curiously. "I mean…" my cheeks begin to burn fiercely. "I don't get touched a lot, that is." My eyes widen. "I mean, not like that! I just-I mean-"

Naruto erupts into fits of giggles then and places a hand on my shoulder. "I've got you," he says quietly. "I just don't understand why people are so rude to you. You're really smart and funny and you're a total catch!"

My heart thumps so loudly in my chest that I'm sure he can hear it but I place a hand over it to try and muffle the sound. Yeah, it didn't work so well. Instead, it drew Naruto's eyes to my chest once more, causing us both to blush. He turns away while scratching at the back of his head.

"I, uh…I heard you were working the kissing booth tomorrow." Naruto stutters, trying to find something to converse about. And why had he chosen that?

"Yeah," I say. "Unfortunately."

"Kissing booths are stupid," he says while sticking out his tongue. "Why would you wanna kiss some stranger, you know?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, good luck to you! We should probably get back in there before Kakashi takes away my coupon for leaving class." I smile at the comment, despite my sorrowful mood, and follow him back into the class, which has turned into a free-for-all.

"Administrators are coming," Kakashi shouts over the noise. "I suggest you all get back into your seats so you don't get into as much trouble as those two." He turns his attention towards Kiba and the boy, who are clenching each other's shirt collars in their hands. Everyone goes silent before racing for their seats.

The two release each other and turn away with a huff. "You good for nothing perv," Kiba mutters before taking his seat.

"Sensitive player," the boy retorts.

Naruto and I slip back into our seats unnoticed just as Tsunade, the principle, bursts through the door. "Okay, you two, in my office!" she yells.

"Speaking of big tits…" Choji mutters.

Kiba and the other boy exit the class room with Tsunade just as the bell rings for the end of the day. Karin instructs for the class to bow and then everyone begins to pack up. I reach for my bag just as someone else does, and when I look up, I'm standing face to face with Karin. I swallow.

"Hey there, _Titi_caca," she says with a smirk. Fuka and Kim erupt in laughter at my new nickname. And I had to say, it was pretty clever. "I was just making sure you were still working the kissing booth tomorrow. I know I wouldn't do it if that just happened to me. How embarrassing!"

I bite with inside of my cheek.

"Yes, I am," I say. "Thanks for letting me do it." And then I sling my backpack over my shoulder and head for the door, where Tenten is waiting for me. Just as I exit, Hana walks in, and we share a look of confirmation. Then I'm out of the classroom, walking down the hallway with the ever-oblivious Tenten. Man would I have a story for her tonight.

…

I take a deep breath before knocking on the door to Kiba's house. Thoughts of how Hana would give me kissing lessons raced through my mind. Hopefully, I prayed, she wouldn't actually demonstrate on me. The very thought made me sick to my stomach.

The door opens and there stands Kiba dressed in nothing but doggie bone boxers and a wife beater. My breath catches in my throat as the two of us stare at each other blankly. And then, "Oh shit!" Kiba slams the door right in my face.

I stand there, wide eyed, in the warm August air as the sound of cursing and padding footsteps and barks pound against the door, ready to be let out into the open. A minute later, Kiba opens the door again with untied sweat pants loosely hanging from his hips. He gives an awkward smile and opens the door wider for me to enter.

"Hi," he says.

"Hi,"

"Sorry about that. I, uh…forgot you were coming over." He says, and shows me to the kitchen. "Hana isn't here right now because Karin kept her late for practice, but I'm sure she'll be back soon."

"Oh…" I say. "Well, that's fine." My eyes linger on his swollen jaw. "Thanks for standing up for me. You really shouldn't have, though."

"Oh, it's nothing," he says with the wave of his hand. "What are friends for?"

I almost choke on my spit.

Friends?

Really?

With me?

Kiba turns me over to the couch and brings over two glasses of lemonade. "Does it hurt?" I ask timidly.

"Nah," he hands me the glass and takes a seat across from me. "It was worth it. That fagot needed to be taught a lesson."

I twist my lips to the side but say no more. Kiba was a tough cookie.

"So, uh…" he clears his throat. "Hana told me about her plans for tonight."

"Oh? What are they?" I ask.

"Well, she picked out an outfit for you to wear for tomorrow and… she uh…asked me to teach you to kiss." He places his glass on the coffee table and hunches over, his elbows resting on his knees. "Sorry you have to do this."

I stare at him with wide eyes.

I had to kiss Kiba?

Forreally?

He clears his throat and slips something out of his pocket. Chapstick. My stomach churns like butter just as he begins to rub his lips together. "Okay, Hinata, you ready?"

Never.

**A/N: **I hope that was okay. Sorry if it was a little…eh, I don't know. I feel like it wasn't very strong. Oh well *shrugs* Comment please :)


	3. Be Prepared

Chapter Three:

Be Prepared

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I finished all of my quiz material (Ephesians chapters 1-4) :O It took forever! Anyway, I hope these three chapters can sustain you people until, well, the next time I get to write. Thanks a bunch, guys! It means a lot that you're reading this :D

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

My fingers dig into the couch beneath me, no doubt leaving scars, just as Karin's nails had to my skin. Kiba's lips looked so soft and for some reason unbeknownst to me, I actually wanted to kiss him. I mean, I'd wanted to kiss him last week when he was in my room, too, but this was different. I could feel my stomach burning like liquid fire, which normally only happened with my cheeks. And unlike when my face is all hot and red, this kind of burning sensation felt good.

Kiba places the tube of chapstick onto the coffee table and leans forward. "Hinata, I just want you to know that this is only for practice, okay?" I nod, barely taking note of his words. My eyes were trained on his lips. The ones that were moving so sensually. "So pay close attention to the way my lips move, okay? Try to mimic mine."

"I am," I say in a dream-like trance.

And just as he erases the space between us and places his warm lips onto mine, the door opens and in walks Hana. I squeal into his mouth and jump back onto the back of the couch, nearly flipping the thing over. If it hadn't been for Kiba's quick reaction, I would have been on the floor, my bones crushed into dust by the enormous piece of furniture.

He helps me back onto the area designated for sitting as Hana sets her bag down. She studies me for a moment. "Were you two kissing?" she inquires.

Right on the head.

"No," I lie as Kiba readily tells the truth. We turn to each other, him with an arched eyebrow and me with the closest thing to a glare as possible. Hana lets out a small laugh before ruffling the tops of our heads.

"I'm glad you started without me," she says sarcastically while giving Kiba a pointed look. He shrugs sheepishly and takes his seat.

"Sorry, I guess I was a bit eager." He grins at me, to which I blush. Yes, I definitely missed the burning in my stomach compared to this.

"Well?" Hana turns to me. "Do you understand now?"

"Uh…" my eyes dart from Kiba to Hana as I try to think. Did I? We didn't even kiss yet.

"I'm taking that as a no." Hana says.

"That's because you interrupted us before we could do anything," Kiba mumbles. Hana raises an eyebrow.

"Well I'm glad you're so willing to help a sister out, little bro," she says with a smile. "I'm taking Hinata up to my room to try on clothes. You two can finish this later."

"Why can't we finish now?" Kiba asks.

"Because I have to leave early tonight for the vet," she says. "And I think Naruto said something about stopping by for dinner again."

"Dammit," Kiba curses. "Can't he go back to eating ramen-?" he cuts himself off and lowers his head. "Never mind; knock yourselves out." And then he heads for the stairs, four puppies trailing after him.

"Yeesh," Hana says while leading me up the stairs. "Sorry about him. I mean, Naruto annoys me too but the poor guy needs to eat."

"I'm sorry," I say timidly. "But why does he eat here?"

Hana leads me into her room and motions for me to take a seat at her old whicker vanity desk. "Naruto lives on his own," Hana explains. "His parents are both dead and his godfather is out on business trips most of the time."

"Oh," my eyes fall to the multiple tubes of mascara on her desk. "It seems like everyone in this school, in this town has some sort of family problem." It comes out before I can stop it and once it's out, I feel guilty. My eyes widen and I turn to Hana in shock. "Sorry, I didn't-"

"No, it's okay. I was thinking the same thing," Hana says while pulling out three different tops. "In fact, the only people I know of who have both of their parents are Ino and Sakura." She grabs a pair of jeans from her closet and sets them on the bed beside the shirts. "Okay, well let's get started."

I nod and rise to my feet. "What's your favorite color?" she asks.

"Purple," I say.

"I thought so, considering you wear those shoes ever day," Hana comments. I look down in embarrassment. "I think you'd look best in either purple, blue, or a pastel yellow. So we have three choices for the shirt." She picks up a purple shirt with loose sleeves and a low cut. The bottom flows out in layers and attached to the buckle loops around the torso is a silver chain belt. There's a pocket on either side with a cute button attached to complete the look. She lets me look it over before setting it down and picking up the next shirt.

It's a turquoise blue with long, loose sleeves that attach to the wrists like a bracelet. It's a see-through material with a low cut and two criss cross straps that cut across the chest and meet at the shoulders. Although the sleeves are loose, the rest is tight and the bottom hem is peppered with silver and dark blue sparkles.

Last but not least is the pastel yellow top. Its sleeves reach the elbow but there's a slit down the fabric so that some of the arm is exposed. At the elbow are two buttons that attach the fabric. The shoulder straps are about two inches wide and the shirt is low cut (surprise surprise.) In between the breasts is another button that's shaped as a diamond with a tiny jewel in the center, and the design of the shirt is floral.

"So which do you like best?" Hana asks. "I think purple says sexy but sweet, which isn't what you want if you're gonna be facing that crowd of boys. The blue says 'here's an invitation but I want you out by nine'-" I furrow my eyebrows at that. The festival lasted until eleven, right? "Then the yellow says playful but innocent. I think that's what you want, right?"

I nod, despite my confusion. Whatever she thought was best, I guess.

"Great, so this top with these jeans," she hands me the pair of black skinny jeans and the yellow top. "Try those on while I fetch you a pair of shoes."

As she leaves the room, I slip out of my school uniform and into the new clothes. Then I look at myself in the mirror. The jeans hugged me a bit too tightly, reminding me of how Naruto had hugged me earlier today. A blush dusts my cheeks and I move up to the top. It was a bit looser at the bottom near my hips but around the torso was where it was tightest. It looked alright, I guess.

Hana enters the room then carrying a pair of light brown flats with white lace sewn to the sides. As she enters, she drops the shoes to the ground, along with her jaw. "Oh my heavens, Hinata," she exclaims while coming towards me. "You look absolutely wonderful!" she straightens out my top and checks the buttons. "You look absolutely gorgeous!"

"I do?" I say while turning back to the mirror.

"Honey, you've got some serious curves. And don't get me started with your chest!"

"Don't get me started with it." I mumble.

"You look fabulous. Now for your hair and makeup,"

"Oh, um…I don't wear makeup." I say. "I'm allergic to foundation."

"Well trust me, you definitely don't need any blush," she laughs, causing me to smile. "We'll just add some lip gloss for the kiss and a bit of eyeliner, okay?" I nod, still a bit unsure. And so she starts on the makeup, handing me a tube of watermelon lip gloss and applying smoky grey eyeliner to the tops and bottoms of my eyes.

When she's finished, she steps back and smiles. "Perfect," she says. "Now what to do with your hair?"

She combs through her drawer of "tools" and takes out a curling iron. "I know," she says, and gets to work. Halfway through the curling process, the door opens and in walks Naruto and Kiba. The two stand there, watching as Hana curls and sprays my hair.

"Wow," Kiba says. "Hinata, you look great."

"Yeah," Naruto agrees. "You look super hot!"

Kiba punches him in the arm, which Hana laughs at. My cheeks are redder than ever, and that's only because I can actually see them redden in the mirror. "Thank you," I say quietly.

"Finished," Hana says, and sets down the curling iron. "So your hair is curled and your bangs are straight. Now for the finishing touch."

"Wait, you forgot to curl one part." Kiba says.

"I know," Hana retorts as she gathers up the straight hair from the left side of my head and pulls it around to the right side where she gathers up the rest of the straight hair. Then she shapes it into a bun at the right side of my head and hairsprays it. "Perfect," she says with a grin. "Boys, isn't she goddess-like?"

Kiba nods in approval as Naruto makes his way towards the vanity desk. He picks up a golden hair clip, one with a pink jeweled flower, and clips back some of my bangs. "Now she's perfect," he says softly while admiring my hair.

I blush under everyone's gazes and bow my head. "Thank you so much, Hana," I say.

"Oh, now you're excited to work the kissing booth?" she inquires.

My eyes widen.

I forgot to tell her that I haven't had my first kiss!

"Oh, um, Hana, I need to tell you something," I say nervously. I glance at the two boys in the room. "Alone," They seem to understand and exit the door, whispering to each other. Once the door's closed, I turn to Hana with a frown. "Hana, I haven't had my first kiss yet."

She presses her lips together and takes a seat on her bed. "That's a problem," she says with a sigh. Then she gathers up the two tops on the bed and hangs them back in her closet. "Are you willing to give something like that up? I mean, it's a pretty big thing." She says while turning to face me.

"I don't know," I say quietly. "I've always wanted it to be something special, you know?"

Hana is silent for a moment and then she begins to gather everything she used to fix my hair and puts it away. "Yeah. I did too,"

"Have you had your first kiss?" I inquire. She grins.

"Of course, but it was far from special." She says.

"Oh, why?"

"That guy was a real jerk. I'll definitely never forget him." She shakes her head. "Look, if you don't want to do it then you can just…"

"Can I kiss them on their cheeks?" I ask. I'd do anything not to let her down now. I could never do that to her.

She smiles and envelopes me in a hug. "Yeah," she says. "Thanks, Hinata."

"No problem," I say.

"So," she pulls away. "How about dinner?"

I laugh. "I think I should eat with Neji tonight. He might get jealous." The two of us share a laugh before heading down to the kitchen where Naruto and Kiba are seated, speaking.

"Hey guys," Hana greets. "Kiba, I don't think Hinata's going to need those kissing lessons after all."

"What? Why not?" he asks while turning to me.

"She's gonna kiss those suckers on the cheek," Hana answers.

I blush. "I…don't feel comfortable with kissing guys I don't like on the lips."

"That's understandable," Naruto says before Kiba can argue. "I wouldn't wanna do it either." I smile in thanks. We always seemed to understand.

"So then…the lessons?" Kiba says.

"You can teach her to kiss on the cheek," Hana says with a grin. "I've gotta go now so you two had better behave. I mean no harassing her and no nacho s'mores."

"Awwww," the two groan in unison.

"You almost blew out the microwave last time!" Hana shouts. "I want one of you to give her a ride home when she wants to leave and Hinata," she turns to me. "You can keep the clothes. They look better on you." And with that, she's gone.

Everyone turns to each other awkwardly.

"So, lessons?" Kiba asks.

"Sure," I say nervously. Without Hana here, my heart was pumping furiously. I mean, I was alone with two boys. Two boys that I may or may not have feelings for. Kiba shows me to the couch, one I was very familiar with now, and seats me.

"Well, it's easy," Kiba says. "You just peck them. Pucker your lips and plant one on them, okay?" I nod. "So try it on me."

I lick my lips. My stomach was beginning to twist in the same way it had before and, yes, my heart was still pumping. I lean in and press my lips to his rough cheek. And then a second later, I pull back and place a hand over my heart.

Yeah, real discreet, Hinata.

Kiba grins. "Did that make you nervous?" he asks.

I ignore the question though. "Did I do it? Did I do it right?" I ask.

Naruto and Kiba sweat drop.

"You did just fine," Kiba says. "See? There's nothing to it."

"Yeah, okay, my turn," Naruto says. Kiba and I turn to him in shock. At our expressions, he says, "What? She needs more than one guy to practice on."

Kiba rolls his eyes and scoots over. I stare at his cheek, the one turned towards me. The one his index finger is pointing to. The one with flawless, tan skin. I make a note to never forget this moment just before leaning in for the kiss. And right as I do, Naruto turns his head so that our lips meet.

My eyes flutter open to see Naruto's painless face. I try to pull back, I want to pull back, but something keeps me there, staring at his angelic face. But apparently, I'm not allowed to because Kiba rips us apart just seconds later. Naruto and I turn to him, panting. "What the fuck was that, Naruto?" he shouts.

I cringe at his angry tone. I'd never seen Kiba like this. It was actually scary.

"It was a kiss," he says.

"You moron!" he turns to me. "I'm so sorry, Hinata. Please forgive him-"

But before he can say anything, I'm to my feet, hand held over my heart. "I'd like to go home now," I say. The two exchange a look and then Kiba rises to his feet.

"Wait," Naruto says. We turn to look at him. "I'm driving her home."

"You little twit, no you're not," Kiba says angrily.

"No sense in you leaving your own home when her house is probably on the way to mine," Naruto says sensibly. He doesn't glance at me, but keeps his eyes trained on Kiba.

"It's okay," I say. "Naruto's right. He can take me."

Kiba looks unsure but I guess I must have convinced him since he lets out a sigh and nods his head in approval. "Thanks," Naruto says while heading for the door.

"Hey, Naruto," Kiba says as the two of us are about to leave. He turns to look him in the eye. "Don't come back."

…

The car ride home is short but strenuous. Naruto turns on the radio and Three Days Grace comes on, but after two minutes of it, he shuts it off. "I'm sorry," he says. I turn to look out the window. My lips were still tingling. I press them to the window. "I didn't mean to steal your first kiss."

I turn to him with wide eyes.

"How did you-?"

"I overheard your conversation with Hana," Naruto says, and cringes. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. It was an accident."

"Then why did you steal it if you knew?" I inquire. Just then, light tapping is heard on the roof of the car. It was beginning to rain.

"I thought maybe if you'd had your first kiss, you'd be able to do the kissing booth," he says.

"But Hana and I decided to kiss on the cheek," I say.

"I left before that," he says, and runs a hand through his hair. "When you came down and told us the plan, I thought of it was a last-ditch effort. I thought you wanted to kiss on the lips."

I hug my waist.

"Thanks Naruto," I say softly. "But I really don't want to kiss someone I don't like on the lips,"

"Sorry," he mumbles. "I know I'm not likable but-"

"Wait, what?"

The two of us are silent as we decide who gets to speak first. He does.

"You said you don't like kissing guys you don't like," he explains.

"I didn't mean you," I say with red cheeks. "I mean…I'm just saying in general."

"Oh,"

"Right here," I say as we pass the apartment building.

"Wait, seriously?" Naruto says. "I live here, too!"

"You do?"

The two of us share an amazed look before he parks the car. "Wow, this is so coincidental," he says while stepping out. He crosses over and opens my door as well.

"Thanks," I say, a bit shocked at how gentlemen-like he was. The two of us head up the stairs and the thought of what Hana had told me earlier crosses my mind. Naruto didn't have anyone to eat with. Or anything to eat, most likely. "Hey Naruto," I start.

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to have dinner with my cousin and me?" I ask timidly.

He stops in midstep. I turn and look down at him. His smile is as big as they get. "Thanks, Hinata!" he exclaims. "Are you sure you're not mad at me?"

"I'd never be mad at you, Naruto." I say quietly.

He studies me for a moment and then his grin widens, if possible. "Thanks, Hinata, you're the best!"

…

When we enter the apartment, we find Neji and Tenten in the kitchen making dinner. Neji was pouring the cream as Tenten was chopping the green onions. They both turn as I shut the door and Tenten's eyes light up. "You brought back a guy, Hinata? Holy shit, let me get the camera!"

"Tenten!" I say with wide eyes. I cannot believe her.

Naruto cracks a grin at this. "Hey Neji, I didn't know you lived with Hinata."

Neji turns with a narrowed gaze. "Hinata, why did you bring this hooligan with you?" he inquires.

"He's staying for dinner," I say nervously. "So treat him as a guest, please."

"No problem, Hina," Tenten says. "You know we'd never embarrass you."

Naruto and I sweat drop.

"We're going to my room," I say.

At Neji's look of distrust, Naruto says, "Don't worry, I won't kiss her again."

Tenten hides her smile behind a hand as Neji rolls up his sleeves. "He's kidding," I shout while flailing my arms around. "He's just kidding! We never kissed! Never, ever, ever!"

"Whatever," Tenten says with the roll of her eyes. "But if we hear any moaning at all-"

"BYE!" I shout before tugging on Naruto's hand and dragging him down the hall.

"Cool parents," Naruto says with a laugh as we enter my room. He takes a seat on my bed and looks around.

"Ha-ha," I say.

"I like your room," he says. "The color suits you."

It was lavender with purple flower stickers. A bit childish, I know, but I liked it and I was the one who had to sleep in here. "Thanks," I say, and take a seat beside him. My eyes widen at the situation and thoughts of last week stream through my mind. Was it going to happen again? Was I going to want to kiss Naruto as badly as I wanted to kiss Kiba? Actually, I think I'd much rather kiss Naruto than Kiba.

"So…" he says while pulling on the sheets.

My eyes dart to his fingers. "What are you doing?" I ask.

He laughs. "Nothing; I'm not gonna sleep with you, Hinata. You can trust me." I twist my lips to the side. "Although I am cold. How cold does Neji keep it in here?"

"He keeps it at sixty four," I say, to which Naruto's eyes widen.

"Hinata, you're going to get frostbite!" he exclaims. I laugh at this.

"No I'm not," I say.

"Hey, do you wanna watch a movie?" Naruto asks suddenly. I swallow. A movie? On my bed? Hopefully he didn't have a horror movie in mind.

"Sure, just let me…change…" I say slowly. He and I stare at each other and then his eyes widen in realization.

"Oh, okay! Gotcha!" he says, and turns around. My eyes widen even further.

"No, Naruto, you have to leave!" I say.

"Why? I just got here."

I purse my lips. "Leave my room," I explain. "As I change…?"

"Oh, okay," he says with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I just don't hang out with girls very often. Normally, Kiba changes right in front of me." My eye twitches. Does he…watch? "So where's your laptop? Let me pick out a movie."

I point to my desk and then to the door. Once Naruto has retrieved the laptop and is out of my room, I begin to change into a fresh pair of pajamas. Or should I? Should I change into something nicer? Maybe something more like-?

My thoughts are interrupted as Naruto barges back into the room, laptop tucked under his arm. "Hey, I picked a-" he stops in midsentence to stare at my pajama-clad self. His eyes rake me over starting from my Toradora pajama shorts that end at my knees and have the Toradora tiger symbol on the butt and trailing up to my orange tank top. He raises his eyebrows. "Wow Hinata, you look good in anything!"

A blush seeps into my skin at the praise and I mutter a thank you. The two of us climb onto my bed and Naruto grabs my purple snuggie to wrap around us. "Thanks for inviting me over," he says while turning on the movie.

"No problem," I say. "So what did you pick?"

He laughs. "The best horror movie of all time!"

…

…

…

**A/N: **How was it? Comment please :) I'm listening to Christmas music haha B)


	4. The Festival

Chapter Four:

The Festival

**A/N: **Hi guys :) Sorry for not updating in a while… I've had a bunch of school work. But thanks for sticking with me! And if anyone is interested, we won two matches out of six in Chicago! Hurray! Now on to the story xP

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

"Naruto," I murmur as the woman with blue streaks in her hair opens the door to the closet. I remove my eyes from the laptop screen to instead focus my attention on the details of Naruto's face. He had a very defined jaw, one a male model might have, and the dark blond hairs sprouting on his upper lip and chin really added to his "hotness factor." His eyes dart to mine as soon as he realizes I'm staring, causing me to snap out of my daze.

"What?" He inquires.

"Nothing!" I stutter, to which he furrows his eyebrows.

"Didn't you just say my name?"

I press my lips together. _Oh…so he hadn't caught me staring at him just then? Or maybe he was just being polite. Most likely the latter. You'd have to be both blind and idiotic to not see my gawking. _I shake away the thoughts and start over. "Right, I did. I was going to ask you something."

"What is it?" he asks.

"Um…how many nicknames do you have?" I ask, albeit very shyly. I almost close my eyes so as to not see the look of confusion on his face.

"How many nicknames do I have?" he reiterates. "Well, a couple. There's hardhead, foxy mama, and probably my favorite, pube head,"

My eyes widen. "Naruto…do you take those as compliments?"

He shrugs. "Well, foxy mama definitely, but the others are sort of…in the middle. Why?" he turns to me fully this time, and I can feel the heat rising between us. I swallow the lump in my throat. Naruto seemed trustworthy and he had my back earlier today. I could definitely confide in him. 

"You've heard my nicknames, right?" I ask, to which he nods. "What do you think of them?"

Naruto chuckles, although it's blatantly obvious that it's faux. "I think the real question you're trying to ask is: what do _you_ think of them?" I cock my head to the side.

"What do you-?"

"I mean, Hinata, that it doesn't matter what others think. If you can convince yourself that those names are actually compliments then do it! That's what's best for you, right?" I twist my lips to the side.

"But they're laughing at me," I say in a soft voice. "How do you turn that into something good?"

"There are two ways," Naruto says while raising his pointer finger. "One, they're not laughing at you, they're laughing _with_ you." Classic. "Two, maybe they're just jealous of you?"

"Jealous?" I repeat.

"Yeah, I mean, Titicaca? If I were you, I'd take that one as a compliment but honestly, the only reason Karin said that was because she's flat!" I blush, averting my gaze back to the laptop screen where the woman was now lying dead in a ditch. How had that happened…? "Hinata," the feeling of Naruto's warm hand on my arm jolted me back into my former spot so I was facing him. "I honestly don't see why you're so upset about it. All girls want big boobs, right? So why aren't you happy with them?"

I could have sworn at that moment that there were tiny little elves inside of my body, hiding behind the gums of my cheeks and planting tiny little candles into them. How else could my face heat up so quickly and brightly? Either that or I had some serious health issues.

My eyes fall to Naruto's hand, which is still resting on top of my arm. He seems to notice this and quickly retracts. "Sorry," he says, to which I shake my head.

"No, don't apologize. You're actually doing more good for me than bad, believe it or not…" I bite my lower lip. It was now or never. "It's not that I don't like my chest, it's just that…When it comes out of your mouth, I feel confident about myself but when it comes out of Karin's mouth, I feel that I'm just a fat, ugly oaf."

Naruto throws his head back at this, and I can see tears forming in the corners of his eyes. I cluck my tongue against my cheek. Nope, no elves. "What's so funny?" I ask.

"Nothing," he breathes. "Except that you called yourself an oaf."

"It's called self-consciousness and you shouldn't laugh about it!" I say in a rather loud voice.

Naruto clears his throat, seeming to settle down, and holds his hands up in surrender. His expression is almost serious now. Talk about bipolar. "Hinata, anything that comes out of Karin's mouth is nasty," he says. "It even leaves a sour taste in your mouth!"

"And a sour feeling in your stomach," I add.

"Right, so why bother with people like that? Shouldn't you focus more on the nicer people? Won't you end up hating all humanity if you don't resign from your…self pity?" I raise my eyebrows at this.

"Naruto," I say. "I think you're right."

"Of course I'm right," he says proudly.

"You should really become a counselor," I say. "Or maybe an inspirational speaker."

Naruto cups a hand around his chin in a pondering motion and then says, "Yeah, I can see myself doing that."

"I think…I think you were meant to make people happy," I whisper with a smile as my eyes fall to my lap. It's quiet, all for the haunting music playing through the speakers of my laptop, and I can feel Naruto staring down at me. _Is he going to say something? Did I say something wrong? I mean, that was a compliment…Why is he staring at me?_

I slowly lift my eyes to find his trained on my lips. The elves quickly light up my cheeks just as his eyes find mine. And now the elves are nesting in his body as well, burning flames throughout him. He scratches the nape of his neck while chuckling softly. "You think?"

I don't answer, and I hadn't really thought Naruto to expect one. All I could think about were Naruto's crystal eyes as they roamed my room, my bed, my body, and finally my face again. Another round of flames. Why did I feel this way? Sure, he was super cute but…Feeling this way was wrong! Besides, I didn't want to end up like Hanabi.

"Hinata," Naruto says quietly. I blink, turning my attention towards the blond before me. His legs are positioned so that one foot is beneath him and the other is sprawled along the length of my bed. His knee rubs against mine, causing the feeling of hot lava running through my stomach. He shifts so that his knees is not only rubbing against mine but is also overlapping it. My stomach churns.

"How do you feel about Kiba?" he asks.

Huh?

The romantic French music playing throughout my mind suddenly ceases and all I could hear was the scream of yet another woman being stabbed. "How do I feel about…Kiba?" I repeat. "What does this have to do with anything?"

Naruto blushes for the second time that night and turns his attention towards my laptop. And then he shuts it off, surprising me. "I meant what I said. Do you feel romantically about him?"

"Um…no," I answer while worrying the hem of my shirt. Where had this come from?

"Oh," he says.

"Why?"

He shrugs. "I don't know," he says, "Maybe Kiba…might feel romantically for you."

Bombshell, much?!

"I don't think so," I stutter while turning away so that I wasn't facing him any longer. I bring my knees to my chin and wrap my arms around my calves. "No one feels romantically for me,"

Naruto shifts as well, but this time closer. I lift my head and twist my neck so that I can see him, and what I see is the fabric of his shirt. My eyes slowly trail down to the bump in his pants and another blush paints my cheeks. Naruto was looming over me.

"Naruto-?" I say, but am cut off when he rests his hand beside mine on the bed so that his arm is now diagonal to mine. I lift my chin to look him in the eyes and that's when my heart stops. His eyes are closed, almost scrunched shut, and his lips are rounded in somewhat of a pout. "Naruto…?" I try again.

They open to reveal a vast sea of blue, but they don't meet mine. Instead, they meet another pair of milky orbs, but let me tell you that they're not eyes. I had almost forgotten that I was wearing a tank top. I let out a small squeak and fall back so that my head is resting on the pillow; and that's when I realize that Naruto really was looming over me. If Neji was to walk in at that moment…There would surely be deep shit to try and wade out of.

Naruto seems to notice our position as well in the way his eyes roam over my body and then blink in recognition. But he doesn't move, something that both scares and excites me. "Hinata," he says. "You're an idiot."

Again, the music ceased and the record cracked. What was up with him ruining every one of my moments?!

"Excuse me?" I say.

"You think no one likes you that way?" he says. "I'm sure Kiba does,"

"He does not!" I almost shout, and slap his chest. "Kiba has, like, a million girlfriends!"

"Ouch," Naruto says. "Harsh,"

"Well, it's true. He's a flirt and nothing more,"

"Well…do you like anyone?" he asks a bit more quietly.

Those damn elves-I really needed to find an exterminator. "I…I don't know," I say unconvincingly.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Naruto says while leaving closer to me. "You can't not know if you like someone."

I avert my gaze to my now shut off laptop. "How about dinner?" I say. "I bet it's ready."

"Hinata," he says as I quickly try to slide out from underneath of him, but he instinctively places a hand to my chest, causing both of our eyes to meet as wide saucers.

"N-Naruto…?" I stutter helplessly.

Naruto withdraws his hand and moves to the other side of the bed. "I'm hungry now," he says. "Let's eat."

I nod and head straight for the door, not daring to look him in the eye again. As we make our way down the hall, the sound of a group of girls whispering to each other alerts me. Who was over? I glance briefly at Naruto, finding it a mistake as neither of us was recovered from the previous scene. "Who's here?" he asks quietly.

"I don't know," I say while entering the kitchen as discreetly as possible. That's when the feeling in my stomach, the churning feeling, turns into one of knots and thorns. Standing in the center of the kitchen by the stove was a group of girls that I recognized fairly well. Fuka, Sasame, Matsuri, Kin, Karin, and unmistakably, Hanabi.

I narrow my gaze at the group of misfits. All of these girls were from High school except for Hanabi, and wasn't Hanabi supposed to be in bed sick? I clench my teeth together at the sight of Karin and Hanabi snickering together.

"Do you want me to ask them to leave?" Naruto whispers from behind me. My eyes widen and I spin around to face him. He'd do that for me? But…why?

"No," I say with the shake of my head. "I need to do this face to face with my little sister," Naruto's eyebrows furrow and then he turns his attention back to the group of girls, narrowing his gaze so as to pick out which one was my sister. I leave him to his eye-spying and take a step forward into the light. The first to notice me is Sasame, who then jabs Matsuri in the ribs. The two watch me with somewhat fearful expressions.

"Hanabi," I say in the sternest voice possible. Said brunette stiffens at the sound of my voice and turns rather slowly to face me. She narrows her gaze.

"Hinata," she says. "Do you need something?"

"Maybe a bra," Karin says with a snicker.

I blush furiously but push it down, ignoring the red head's comment. "Hanabi, I thought you were sick," I say.

"I was. I guess I recovered rather quickly," she gives a false smile before turning back to the group of cheerleaders.

"Hanabi, why are you associating with these people? You're only in middle school," I say.

"And yet she's still cooler than you," Kin says with a smirk.

"What are you?" I retort. "The mediator between high schoolers and middle schoolers?"

Kin rolls her eyes. "They look up to me, thanks very much," she says with crossed arms. Karin snaps her fingers, drawing everyone's attention towards her.

"Girls," she turns to me. "And Hinata, please try not to squabble. We're here for one purpose and one purpose only; to gain Hinata's recognition as a member of the cultural festival." I raise an eyebrow. "Or in other words, are you prepared for your role tomorrow?"

"Yes," I say flatly.

That's when Naruto steps out from behind me. "Naruto's here?" Karin, Fuka, and Kin say simultaneously.

"Who's Naruto?" The others ask.

"Did you put Hinata up to this, Karin?" he asks. The way his voice sounds, though, almost makes me cringe. He sounded almost angry. I turn around to face him, finding his arms crossed over his chest and a frown planted firmly on his face.

"Put her up to it? Well of course. Hinata would have never dreamed of kissing a guy before I suggested it." She says snottily. And then her posse laughs along, even Hanabi, which almost breaks my heart.

"I don't understand your problem, Karin," Naruto says. "Why do you pick on Hinata? She's prettier and more talented than you'll ever be. Is it because you're jealous?"

My cheeks burn at the praise I'm receiving from Naruto. Did he really mean that? I mean, sure Karin was ugly but I was no better. And what talents did I possess? Obviously Karin was more talented, considering the fact that she can do exuberant flips, as she showed us in gym class.

Karin bites the inside of her cheek, creating a dimple. "Are you defending this trash bag?" she asks bitterly.

"Trash bag?" I repeat in a defensive tone.

"Yeah, _trash bag. _You know, referring to the way you dress and the way your boobs poke out from underneath your clothes? I mean, what do you hide under there? Exercise balls?"

The group laughs again at this. Now surely Naruto could understand my pain and how much trouble these things of mine could cause. Was he feeling the burn as much as I was? My eyes dart to his face and I can tell that he's both pissed and embarrassed.

"You wish yours were as big as hers," he retorts.

"Puh-lease," Karin says with the roll of her eyes. "I've already got the rest of this school weighing me down; I don't need that either." She smirks. "How does it feel, Hinata, to be living life on rock bottom?"

"You know what, Karin-"

Naruto is cut off by Fuka, who has her fists clenched in fury. "Can we quit talking about Hinata's saggy boobs, already?!" she screeches, alarming everyone. Karin shoots her a dirty look before turning back to Naruto.

"You know what? Why don't you all just leave?" Naruto says. "This is Hinata's house and you're not welcome here."

"Yeah, well, Hanabi invited us because she's cool, so we'll stay as long as we want," Fuka argues. "And you only want us out of here so you and blueberry can fuck!"

Everyone goes quiet at that. My and Naruto's faces are so red that we'd put the devil to shame. Even Kin and Karin look as if they don't know what to say. And then Hanabi breaks the silence. "Maybe you guys should go." She says. But her words go by unnoticed because Fuka is already cooking up a storm.

"Admit, Naruto, you're a cheating bastard who would fuck any piece of shit you see!" she shouts.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Naruto shouts. "What do you have against me? What did I do? And Hinata and I were _not fucking_."

The magenta rolls her eyes. "Oh please," she says. "Like you don't remember your ex-girlfriend?"

Naruto blinks. "Who are we talking about?" he asks cluelessly.

Fuka's lip begins to quiver but she's quick to stop it. "We're talking about me, you knucklehead!"

"We dated…?"

"Yes! How do you not remember?!"

It takes him a second, but after squinting at the enraged teen and licking his lips multiple times, it finally hits him. "Oh yeah," he says, to which everyone sweat drops. "But we never dated. You asked me to be your boyfriend and I rejected you so you kissed me, which I then pushed you away, and you got all mad and had a fit and made up a new nickname for me." He shrugs. "You seriously need to get your facts straight."

Everyone turns to Fuka, who looks as if her eyes are about to well up with tears. But that chance is never made because Karin snaps her fingers again, as if we're all dogs, and begins to talk. "We'll be seeing you at the festival tomorrow, Hinata. Unless you don't want to attend anymore. Fuka will gladly take your place."

I take one look at Fuka, one look at her red-tinted eyes and shake my head. "I'll be there," I say. "But I can't guarantee I'll make you any money."

"I wasn't counting on it."

Karin motions with two fingers for the other girls to follow her out and she leads them towards the front door, Sasame and Matsuri clinging to Fuka with sympathetic hushes as Kin just rolls her eyes. Once they're gone, it's completely still in the apartment.

I don't know who to turn to first or who to speak to first, but the first thing to come out of my mouth is, "Why…?"

Naruto places a hand on my back, which is what drags me to the surface, back to reality with the others. I turn to Hanabi without giving Naruto a second thought. "Hanabi," I say.

"I know," she cuts me off. "I'm sorry, okay? They came up to me and asked if I was your sister. I thought maybe they were your friends and ignored them until Kin told me about how they were cheerleaders and wanted me to join their squad."

"Join their squad? You're not even in high school!"

Hanabi's eyes fall to her feet. "They said there was an exclusive club I could join until I reached high school. If I joined the club then I'd automatically be a part of the cheer squad in ninth grade. I thought it was a good deal."

"Where were you? You told Neji you were sick." Although I never believed her lie, I still hadn't expected her to up and go like that. If you're going to lie then at least make it look good and stick with it, right?

"When you all left for school, I got dressed and went to my friend's house," she says. "We went into town and did some shopping and then afterwards, we stopped at a coffee shop. That's where we saw Karin and the others."

I didn't believe it. If Hanabi had said they'd met the cheerleaders at a bar then I may have, but a coffee shop? We both knew she wasn't innocent enough for that scene. But I don't mention it. Instead I say, "Who was this friend?"

"Moegi," Hanabi almost whispers.

"Moegi?" I raise my eyebrows at this. "But she's a goody-goody. I don't believe she'd skip."

"Well things aren't as they appear!" Hanabi shouts, to which I jolt back.

"Where are Neji and Tenten?" I inquire, deciding to let it go for now. I didn't want Naruto to feel any more uncomfortable.

"I don't know. They weren't here when I got inside." Hanabi says while making her way to her room. I let her, not bothering to ask her anything more. Instead, I turn to Naruto and let out a breath.

"I'm sorry about that." I say.

"No problem," Naruto says, and then lets his hand fall to his side.

"Thanks for standing up for me. You really shouldn't have," I make my way for the kitchen and begin to plate our dishes when Naruto appears behind me and places a hand on top of mine. I pause in mid scoop, my breath following suit.

"Don't thank me. It had to be done," he says softly. "But besides that, you don't think lowly of me, do you?"

This question startles me.

"Lowly of you?" I repeat while turning to face him. "Why would I?"

"Because of what Fuka said about me," he mumbles, and averts his gaze to our feet.

"I didn't believe a word of it, Naruto," I assure.

"Not about the playing part? You don't think…I'm anything like what you think of Kiba, do you?"

My cheeks begin to heat to a degree that would probably burn a normal human being. I, on the other hand, am being protected by the elves. That's right, I do need a psychiatrist. I turn back to the food and finish what I'd started. "Naruto, you're nothing like Kiba other than the fact that you're both really sweet to me and you both love food."

Naruto chuckles and I begin to think that everything is okay again. But that's when Tenten bursts through the front door looking like a hot mess. I hand Naruto his plate-more like shove it into his chest clumsily-and make my way for Tenten who looks to be near to tears. But Tenten never cries, especially not in front of other people. I place a hand on one of hers and my other on her shoulder and press my nose to hers.

"What's wrong?" I ask in concern. Tenten sniffs in response, playing the silent game. "Tenten," I try again, to which she shakes her head. I sigh.

"Have dinner with Naruto," she says gloomily. "Then come see me tonight. I'll tell you then." Her voice cracks at the end and she hurriedly makes her way for my room, slamming the door shut behind her. I press my lips together in fret.

"Is she okay?" Naruto asks.

"She'll be fine," I lie. Tenten had come back but Neji hadn't. I think Naruto and I both knew what had happened out there but neither was willing to say it aloud. So instead of speaking of any more drama, we grab our food and land beside each other on the living room sofa. And after an hour of eating, watching TV, and chatting, Naruto thanks me for the dinner and company and then leaves.

…

I wake up halfway on the right side of my bed and halfway in mid air. Beside me, Tenten is snoring loudly, curled up with my moose-pillow-pet. Last night she'd told me about how she and Neji had gotten into a huge argument over Hanabi. She claimed Hanabi was out of line and needed some guidance while Neji said she just needed a mother figure. And that's when it got ugly.

She hadn't said whether or not they'd broken up but I hadn't heard Neji come in last night until one in the morning, tip toeing down the hallway and cracking my bedroom door open to see Tenten asleep. I'd been on my computer, typing up another report for English class. I couldn't believe how childish they were being, either. I mean, it was obvious that Hanabi was out of line but Neji only wanted what was best for her. But was turning a blind eye best?

Either way, I only had an hour before Hana came over to get me all dolled up for the festival, so I hit the shower and then made myself some breakfast. By the time Hana had gotten here, Neji was out of the house at his part time job and Tenten was awake, watching really bad sitcoms and eating breakfast in bed-_my bed_.

"How are you doing?" Hana asks as she looks me up and down with a nod of approval.

I shrug. "Nothing's really going right," I say, and glance at Tenten who is seemingly not eavesdropping on our conversation, even though I know she is. I turn my attention back to Hana who now holds the curling iron in her hand.

"Is it Kiba?" she asks.

"No," I say. "Why?"

She takes a strand of my hair and begins to wrap it around the hot metal. "He seemed pretty upset last night when I got home. I asked where Naruto was and he told me to shove it." My eyes widen. "So did something happen?"

Hana almost reminded me of a beauty stylist, and not because she was doing my hair. I guess it was her sharp, edgy look and the way she spoke in that New Yorker accent. I could imagine her on the street, drawing large-scale roses and sunsets with chalk while chewing and popping bubblegum.

"I don't really know," I say. "Kiba kissed me on the cheek-for practice, of course-and then Naruto wanted a turn and, well, he kind of kissed me on the lips at last minute."

"That sly fox!" Hana said with a laugh.

No kidding.

"So Kiba was mad about that?" she says. "Man, he's such a doof. No wonder you won't go for him."

"Excuse me?" I say, stunned.

"I meant what I said," she licks her lips while concentrating on one particular strand of hair very closely.

"I don't understand your statement," I say.

"Never mind it, then," she says, and lets my last spiral of hair fall down my shoulders. "Now for the bun."

I stay quiet for the rest of my "beautifying" and then when she's done, say goodbye to Tenten and follow Hana out to her car. "Is Kiba going to be there?" I finally ask once we're on the road. Hana shrugs.

"I don't know if he's feeling up to it after that but I know one thing's for sure. I got you thinking about him." She laughs at my blush and hits the gas harder. When we reach the school, my stomach clenches uneasily. I wasn't feeling so well, after all. Hana notices my discomfort and slaps my back softly. "You'll do fine, kid. Just remember what I said about the cheek."

I nod and climb out of the car. Not only was I feeling nervous about working the booth, I was also feeling nervous about seeing Karin and her posse again. I was lucky Hana wasn't snotty like the rest of them, but I couldn't get over the fact that Hana claimed some of the cheerleaders were nice. They were all laughing at me last night. If they were nice then they wouldn't have, right?

Although Sasame and Matsuri had looked a bit hesitant when they saw me. Perhaps it was just my face…

Hana leads me to my booth, which is all white except for a large cut out of red, sparkly lips hanging from the top left hand corner of the support beams. I instantly feel the urge to bolt but I couldn't even take another step, let alone move my toes. I was frozen in shock, I guess you could say.

Hana turns to me with furrowed eyebrows and then nods for me to come closer. "Come on, Hinata, what are you afraid of? Those lips don't really move, you know." She says while motioning with the nod of her head at the pair of cardboard lips. I swallow.

"I'm having second thoughts," I say, almost whisper. Hana frowns at this.

"What about the plan?" she whispers in my ear. "Do you want to take down Karin or not?"

I did but I also didn't. What goes around comes around and if Hana's little plan works and I'm a part of it, then I'm going to get a chunk of the blame. Then again, Karin did need to be taken down. But I really didn't understand what the plan really was to begin with. How would this even help with the plan?

Hana taps my shoulder to gain my attention and I blink. "Okay," I say. "But you have to stay with me."

"No can do, kiddo,"

"What!?"

"Calm down," she says with a chuckle. "I have my own booth to take care of. But don't worry. If I see Kiba or Naruto, I'll tell them to stop by, okay?"

I nod, even though I don't feel very confident in her words. And once she's gone, my mind begins to race. A huge throng of people moves in, coming closer and closer until all I can see are the whites of each of their eyes.

And the first customer at my booth is none other than my worst nightmare. He's the one who made fun of me all throughout elementary and middle school and then tried to look under my skirt last year.

Kankuro.

**A/N: **I spent a good five minutes trying to figure out who should be Hinata's first customer but I couldn't think of anyone with that personality other than Kiba or Naruto -_-" So…sorry about that haha


	5. Kiss and Tell

Chapter Five:

Kiss and Tell

**A/N: **I'm in such a good mood! I got such great scores on the English section of my PSATs and they want me in AP courses! Plus I'm trying out for GSA for my writing and if I do get accepted, I'll get a free ride and scholarship to their college! Of course, Ramsey yelled at me but who cares?! I'm so happy! And it's Christmas! So MERRY CHRISTMAS!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

It was a day filled with glue, taunting words, and jean-pulling. It was my second week of middle school and Kankuro had just been transferred to Konoha Middle from Suna Middle, all the way across the country. Of course, being the courteous person I was, I decided to show him around. Okay, strike that. My teacher had asked me to show him around and being myself, I couldn't refuse. So I showed him to all of his classes, including the cafeteria and gym.

And that's when it happened. We'd just entered the gym, which was vacant at the time, thank goodness, when he turned to me and yanked down my jeans. I'd been wearing my sparkly yellow daisy panties that day and once he'd seen them, he couldn't stop the laughter from bursting from his lips. I was completely mortified and had hid myself in the bathroom until my seventh period teacher found me and brought me back to class.

That's when Kankuro got the glue stuck in my hair and started calling me misfortune cookie. And I haven't lived it down since. Especially today, when it's surfaced from the depths of my conscious.

Kankuro is the first in line and he's wearing a grin so wide that I could have sworn his lips would split down the middle if he went any further. So instead of asking for a kiss, he says, "Hey, misfortune cookie." And rips open my nearly healed wound. I give him a small smile, one that most likely says, _kill me,_ and motion to the glass jar sitting on the booth table.

"Are you in line for a kiss?" I ask, even though it sounds completely idiotic. I mean, he was in line, after all. But he may have been there for other reasons, ones that included ripping off all of my band aids from previous scars that he created.

Kankuro smirks. "Yeah, believe it or not." He leans in closer, surprising me, but he doesn't plant his lips on mine. Instead, he whispers, "Just don't tell my girlfriend."

My eyes widen. What was I thinking? This was a kissing booth at a high school cultural festival; why did I ever think that I would be kissing single guys? This was _high school. _To think I actually thought the guys here would be pure and true to their girlfriends. I almost snort at the thought.

I clear my throat. "That's six dollars," I say.

"Six dollars?" his eyes widen. "That's too much for those lips. I bet you don't even know how to kiss!"

I blush furiously as dozens of heads turn in our direction. And I can't help it; I begin to panic. "Well, uh-"

Before I can say anything coherent, though, someone is by my side with both palms slammed down on the booth counter. I turn slightly to find Naruto staring into Kankuro's eyes with a hard glare. "If you don't want to kiss her then don't get in line," he spits. "And you don't deserve to kiss her, anyway."

Now almost everyone was watching. I swallow the lump in my throat and place a hand on Naruto's shoulder. He turns to me, looking as if he hadn't even noticed I was standing there. "Thank you, Naruto, but it's my duty. I can't fight with the customer." To this, Kankuro gives a smug look and nods his head.

"Yeah?" Naruto says, and turns back to Kankuro. "Well no one said I couldn't fight with him."

"Please, Naruto, just-"

"Get out of line, bozo. You're not kissing her. Besides, these kisses are on the cheek, not the lips!" Naruto shouts. A few moments later, three or four guys step out of line muttering, "rip off" and head for other booths to waste their time at. Kankuro clucks his tongue against his cheek and lets out a curt laugh.

"Whatever, pube head, I didn't want to kiss someone as fugly as her anyway." Before Naruto can say something back-or hit him, possibly-Kankuro turns to me and says, "See ya', misfortune cookie." And then he's gone and the next person in line steps forward with a disgruntled expression.

I turn to Naruto and let out a sigh through my nose. "Thanks Naruto, but I think it would be best if I made at least twelve dollars." I say.

"Hinata, raise the bar a little higher, at least," he says with a small smile. "You know a bunch of the guys here would love to have your lips against their cheeks." I blush at this. There was no way that was true. "Just be safe, okay? Oh, and I almost forgot…" he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a five dollar bill and four quarters. "I get to be your first, okay?"

I'm speechless. Naruto wanted to be my first customer? And after we'd kissed yesterday, too… I couldn't keep doing this; kissing guys that I wasn't even dating-and on the lips, too! My face heats up as he drops the bill and change into the jar and pulls out a tube of chapstick. "Wait," I say hesitantly. "This kissing booth is for kisses on the cheeks, not the lips."

Naruto pauses to stare at me. "I don't get special treatment?" he says, as if shocked. And I actually thought he may have been shocked. But I just shrug and nod, to which he slips his chapstick back into his pocket and leans in. Then he turns his cheek so that I have another great view of his flawless skin and light stubble.

"No tricks like last time, right?" I say, just to be sure. Naruto grins at this and shakes his head. So after taking a few shallow breaths, I lean in and plant a kiss to his cheek. My eyes are closed and I can feel how hot his skin is against my lips and it almost makes me shudder. It felt…good. Not nearly as good as our other kiss but this was almost like a step up from hugging or something.

When I lean back, I can see the spot I've kissed is red, but it's not from lipstick since I wasn't even wearing any. When Naruto turns to face me full on, I can see that the rest of his face is the same shade. Was he blushing? Oh no, was I?!

I raise a balled hand to one of my cheeks and avert my gaze downward. "Thanks," I say. "Come again." And then my eyes widen and my face reddens even further. "Not that I want to kiss you again! I mean, not that I _don't_ want to kiss you again-!" I stop at how red Naruto's face is getting and stay completely silent until he lets out a small chuckle and places an extra five on the counter. I look down at it as if it's a one hundred dollar bill.

"It's a tip," he says. "For such great service."

And then he's gone, heading towards Class B's café, which was ramen themed. I should have worked there instead. In fact, I'd probably spend my whole day with Naruto if I had.

I'm just about finished gawking at the back of his head as it ducks under a purple banner when this sudden dizzy feeling overcomes me. I place a hand on the booth for support and close my eyes. And that's when I see it. Something flashes before me, something resembling an iron bar. I wince, bracing myself for the impact that I'm certain will knock me off my feet. But it doesn't. Instead, it knocks the air out of me and I slightly stumble back.

The feeling of someone's warm hand on mine brings me back to reality and my eyes flutter open to find two pools of russet staring back at me in concern. I blink. "Kiba?" I say.

"Are you alright, Hinata?" he inquires while pulling me so that I'm standing upright again. I shake my head and withdraw my hand.

"I'm fine," I say. "I'm just a little dizzy." He nods, albeit I'm not so certain he believes me. "So what are you doing here?" I brush off some invisible dust from my shirt while keeping my eyes on the yellow fabric. For some reason, meeting his gaze would hurt much more than that dizzy spell I had a moment before.

"I'm in line for a kiss," he says. "Maybe I can redeem myself for my behavior the other night." At this, I look him in the eyes.

"You didn't do anything wrong," I protest, to which he shakes his head.

"I was a jerk, and Naruto was probably really…" he shakes his head. "He's my best friend. I should act worthy of the role."

"Kiba," I whisper.

"Anyway, how about that kiss?"

I stand speechless, staring mindlessly into his diamond shaped eyes. "Have you seen him?" I ask. "I mean, have you two spoken yet?"

"Who? Me and Naruto?" he asks, as if he's confused by my question. I nod. "Oh, um, no. Not yet."

"Well, I'm sure he's willing to forgive you," I say.

"I guess so." He stares at me expectantly before turning his cheek and dumping two rumpled bills into the jar. I bite my lip.

_I've already made more than twelve dollars…! Maybe this plan will work. Whatever plan this is, anyway. _

"Okay," I whisper, more to myself than to Kiba. After a moment's hesitation, I lean forward and plant a kiss to his cheek. Something about this, though, doesn't make my stomach knot in the way kissing Naruto had. Kiba and Naruto had an equal amount of facial hair-not much for either-and they each had flawless skin, but Kiba's cheek felt rough and the stubble made the top of my lips burn. Naruto's facial hair felt almost_ soft_ and unlike Kiba's, it didn't burn me.

Kiba turns and gives me a small smile. "Thanks," he says. "I'll catch you later. Maybe on your break the two of us can have lunch together."

I swallow. The heat was rising to my cheeks again.

"Okay," I say. "But maybe…maybe we should invite Naruto too," Kiba furrows his brows at this. "I mean, only if you want to!" I say in an attempt to save myself. Kiba doesn't say anything, but turns on his heel and gives me a peace sign over his shoulder. I watch him disappear into the crowd until someone's voice tears my eyes away.

Standing in front of me is yet another guy with an impatient expression. "Sorry," I mumble, and watch as the money drops into the jar. Then I lean in and close my eyes, imagining Naruto in this person's place. And I do so with every other customer until the jar is half full and my heart feels heavier than a bar of gold.

…

It was a long, dreadful day. After kissing eighteen boys-_eighteen!-_my chest and arms were damp with sweat. I was praying as I placed the _closed_ card on the booth that there were no sweat marks on my shirt, especially if I was going to be having lunch with Kiba and Naruto.

As I search through the bustling crowd for either of the two boys, my gaze lands on a certain pinkette whose face was buried in the crook of her arm as she laid her head down on a wooden picnic table. I furrow my brows at her, craning my neck to see her face. It looked as if she were crying.

I make my way towards her, hands nervously sliding into my pockets so as to hide them from her gaze. When I'm standing before her, though, I begin to feel that this was a bad idea. Approaching her, I mean. Sakura was pretty, smart, and quiet. She didn't have many friends, just like me, but she was at least liked. She seemed to think she was smarter than everyone else, and I guess it was almost true. Beside Shikamaru and Sasuke, she had the best scores of the whole school.

She looks up as soon as she notices my presence and it seems I was right. Her eyes are red and puffy and her nose is running like hell. I take a seat across from her and give her a shy smile. "Are you alright?" I inquire.

She studies me for a moment before slipping a tissue from her pocket and dabbing at her nose. Once she's patted it dry, she crumples it in her hand and frowns. "This is brave of you, Hinata," she says. "I know of your nervous nature. It's kind of you to try and cheer me up even with your uneasiness."

All I wanted was to know what was wrong; I hadn't asked for a self diagnosis.

I bite my lip and nod. "Yeah," I say dumbly. "Well, are you okay? Is something wrong?" Next to her, I felt like such a block head.

She sniffs and shoves the dirtied tissue back into her pocket. "Nothing's wrong," she says. "Although I'm sure you know that's a lie," I inwardly sweat drop. "I guess I can trust you," she smoothes a few strands of hair that have come out of her ponytail and sighs. "It's Sasuke, I guess,"

"Sasuke?" I reiterate. I'd heard that the two of them were close. At least, Sakura was the closest person Sasuke had to a friend. Everyone knew Sakura had a crush on him back in elementary school, which is when she made most of her enemies, including Ino. Ino had the biggest crush on Sasuke than any other girl in school. Did Sakura still like him, though?

"Yeah. He stopped talking to me for a while. He said it had to do with us, but that it was him and not me," she rolls her eyes. "Everyone knows that means that it's me."

"Are you two dating?" I ask timidly. She stares at me for a moment, a small blush dusting her cheeks.

"No," she says finally, quietly. "But he means a lot to me. We're like brother and sister,"

"Oh," I say. "So that's what's bugging you."

"Yeah,"

There's a pause of silence as the two of us avert gazes; she stares at the crowd behind me as my eyes quickly find my lap. "Well," she says while rising from the table. I tilt my head up to look her in the eyes. "I guess I'll be leaving, then."

"Already?" I say. She shrugs.

"No point in staying around here all alone,"

Just as she turns to go, I say, "Well, wait," and she pauses. "Stay and have lunch with me and my friends."

"Your friends?" she says while turning around to show me an arched eyebrow. I nod eagerly. "You mean Naruto and Kiba, right?"

Wow she was observant.

"Yes," I say.

"I don't know," she says, but then seems to ponder. "I guess I could try it."

My eyes widen as she motions for me to join her. Were my thoughts deceiving me or had I just made a friend?! I suppose if I were to be friends with anyone, Sakura would be a good choice. I mean, she didn't like most of the people in our class, she was smart, she was nice, and she seemed fun. I mean, she hung out with Sasuke, and if he liked her then she must be worthwhile. But what was really great was that she didn't mind hanging out with me, and that's what made me smile.

…

So after twenty minutes of searching for Kiba and Naruto, we finally find the latter at the ramen café. We seriously should have searched there first. So as Sakura and I timidly approach Naruto, the sound of someone's voice alerts me and I whip my head around to see Kin and Ino. I glance at Sakura whose eyebrows are furrowed in fret. Why did she look so scared? Were the cheerleaders threatening her as well?

"Oh, well look what we have here," Ino says as she and Kin approach us. I cross my arms over my chest and take one tiny, barely noticeable step back. Ino eyes the two of us before smirking. "The two haters are hanging out together."

"Haters?" I repeat. "What does that-?"

Ino interrupts me by saying, "Are you two here to see Naruto?" and this shuts me up quickly. She shakes her head. "Poor thing; you're so in love with him and he's just…not interested."

I grit my teeth.

"You mean like how Sasuke isn't interested in you and your fangirling?" Sakura retorts. I turn to her in awe. Had she just defended me? I made a friend who's not afraid to defend me!

Ino clucks her tongue against her cheek. "Hello, forehead," she says bitterly. "I barely noticed you there. It must be because you resemble that coat rack over there. Scrawny, unused, and unwanted. You just sort of…blend in."

I let out a sigh through my nose. "Ino, go take a lollipop from a baby or something. We've got things to do,"

"Sounds like fun but unfortunately the only babies here are you and Sakura and you don't seem to have any candy on you," she says, to which Kin smirks. "Now, where was I? Oh yes, I was talking about Naruto." I swallow. I was sort of hoping she'd forgotten about that. "It seems like his interest is in someone more…popular and experienced in the dating field."

"Go bite a snake, Ino, and leave Hinata alone," Sakura spits.

"Where's Sasuke, Sakura?" Ino says so fast that I'd barely even comprehended her words. Sakura takes a small step back, as if someone had just punched her in the chest. I turn to her with a worried expression. "Oh, that's right, he left you. What was that argument about, anyway? Did he just get bored?"

"Hey, Ino," someone says from behind the blond. She and Kin turn around to face the intruder, which is when Sakura and I escape. We head for the exit when my eye catches a head of blond hair. I tug on Sakura's wrist and lead her towards Naruto, who's on what looks to be his ninth bowl. Someone is standing beside him with an annoyed expression.

"Naruto," they say, "You can't have any more! We're running out and we're not allowed to charge you!"

"Yeah?" he says while slamming a fist down on the table. "Well I thought that the customer is always right. Do I need to talk to your manager about this?"

The waiter could have shoved thirty bombs down Naruto's pants by then. His eyebrow twitches as he shouts, "I don't have a manager! And this isn't a real job!"

Naruto crosses his arms over his chest and sticks his nose into the air. "Man, can't a guy eat around here without being judged?"

"No one is judging you, Naruto!"

"Yeah? Well I feel I'm being judged,"

The guy pulls up his sleeve, raises his arm in the air. That's when I place a hand on Naruto's shoulder and he turns to look me in the eyes. His expression immediately changes from annoyed and grumpy to ecstatic. "Hinata!" he exclaims before rising out of his chair. He turns to the waiter. "We'll be leaving, then."

He quickly pushes through the throng of people, a tight hold on my wrist as he leads us out of the makeshift restaurant and into the dim light outside. He lifts his chin up. "I think it's gonna rain," he says.

"Naruto, why were you harassing that guy?" I inquire. He turns to me with a grin.

"I wasn't harassing him, he was harassing me!"

The two of us share a small laugh and then I turn around and place a hand on the small of Sakura's back. "This is Sakura," I say. "She's eating lunch with us."

"If you can still eat any more," the pinkette mumbles with a small smile. Naruto smiles back.

"OH, you're the smart girl! Cool!" he turns to me. "Where are we eating?"

"Well, class B's café is out of the question," I say. "But we need to find Kiba first."

Naruto's expression darkens. "Kiba?" he says. "Why?"

"Because he invited me to eat with him," I say. "That's why. And he said you could come too."

"He did?"

Well actually, he hadn't. But he'd said he wanted to apologize to Naruto and this was a good starting place so…

"Yup," I say. Naruto smiles at this and that's when I realize he's still holding onto my wrist. The two of us stare down at our hands before retracting them simultaneously. Sakura grins from beside me.

"So we should find Kiba now, right?" Naruto says as he turns away from me. His ears are redder than a pepper and his neck seems to mimic the shade. I nod even though he can't see me, and turn to Sakura.

"Let's go," I say.

…

When we find Kiba, it's already begun to rain. But the rain isn't the only thing that darkens the mood. When we reach the big oak tree where the rain can't contact anyone who stands beneath it, we see Kiba sitting underneath with some brunette on his lap, their faces connected like leeches.

My stomach twists in an odd way as the three of us stand there awkwardly, staring at the two as the rain pours down on our heads. My curled hair, the little bit of makeup on my face, and my new clothes were all ruined. And now my feelings. My feelings were hurt and I had no idea why. I glance at Naruto's face to find his jaw set tightly. His eyes were trained on Kiba. He looked angry but behind all if that rage in his eyes, I could see a bit of relief.

"Kiba," Naruto says, which jolts the two so that their heads collide. I feel a bit of satisfaction at that. Said boy lightly shoves the girl off of his lap and climbs to his feet.

"Naruto, Hinata," he says, and then turns to Sakura. "Oh, hi," he says. The girl beside him frowns and begins to walk away in a fit of annoyance. Kiba rolls his eyes. "Man, she's such a diva," he mutters.

"Then why are you dating her?" Naruto asks.

"I'm not," Kiba says nonchalantly before making his way towards the three of us. "So are we ready to eat or do you guys just wanna skip it?" he turns to me but I don't dare look him in the eyes. Instead I focus my attention on a worm that's begun to crawl out of the soaked dirt. "Hey, Hina," he says while patting my cheek.

I flinch. I try so hard not to but I can't help it. He stares at me and I can feel his eyes burning holes into my skin. So to save the conversation that's sure to follow the silence, I look him in the eyes and say, "No, I think they're closing. I'm just gonna go home."

He doesn't buy it at all but instead of saying anything, he turns to Naruto and says, "You'll have to give her a ride, then. Hana and I are staying a bit longer."

Naruto nods but says nothing. After a moment of silence, Kiba nods to himself and walks away. I stare after him before biting my trembling lip. "Um," Sakura says, grasping my attention. I turn to her. "I'll go home, too, then. Thanks for inviting me, Hinata, even though we didn't get to have lunch." Then she hands me a sheet of paper that has pink ink scribbled on it. "Here's my email. Send me a message, okay?"

I nod and watch as she takes off in the opposite direction Kiba had.

Naruto and I stand there in silence until I feel something warm wrap around my shoulders. My eyes find the black and orange cloth that he's draped over me and I inwardly smile. "Thanks," I whisper, and then follow obediently as Naruto leads me towards the parking lot, a protective arm wrapped around me.

When we reach his car, he opens the door for me and allows me to hop in. When the two of us are cozy and the warm air from the vent is blowing softly in my face, he starts the engine and the two of us are out of there. He turns the radio on and _Painting Flowers_ sounds throughout the car, giving a tug at my heart. This song always made me feel euphoric.

He seems to notice my change in attitude and turns the radio up. "I'm sorry," he says, to which my eyes widen. "I thought he liked you but…you were right. He is a player. I'm sorry I put you through that."

My eyes fall to my lap and I clench the fabric of Naruto's wet jacket. "It's not your fault, Naruto," I say. "I fact, it's mine. I don't even like Kiba and yet…My heart hurts. I don't understand it."

"Maybe you do like him," he says quietly.

I shake my head. "No," I say. "I think I was just happy that finally someone had feelings for me. That was why I was so crushed. It must be." I whisper the last part, but Naruto seems to hear it even over the music.

"Hinata, there are plenty of guys out there that like you. And not all of them are players." He speeds up, causing me to grip the leather of my seat tightly.

"Slow down, Naruto, it's raining!" I say a bit too loudly. He does, and then mutters an apology.

"I just want you to know that there's a guy out there that can give you everything you need. He can love you unconditionally and never ever hurt you."

"Yeah," I say. "My mother used to tell me that long ago. She said my prince charming was out there."

"He is," Naruto says. But that's all he says, and for the rest of the car ride, the two of us are silent as my favorite song plays over and over again. It must be a CD and he must have hit repeat. And all the way home, I felt a little less sad.

**A/N: **How's that for a Christmas miracle? What? It's not a miracle, you say? Well that's because you're not thinking ahead, silly! Merry Christmas and, well, happy reading ^^


	6. Dear Chieko

Chapter Six:

Dear Chieko

**A/N: **The title of this chappie is Dear Chieko, so I did not mess up, if that is what you were thinking lol So I guess you can tell what's gonna happen in this chappie by the name of it! I thought it was finally time to get the plot rolling -_-" Anyway, enjoy!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

I'd asked him to stay the night.

It was foolish and sudden and completely over the top but I really didn't want to stay home alone. You see, I'd gotten a note when I'd reached my apartment room. Naruto had walked me in and had waited by the door as I read the note that stated Tenten had gone to Neji's work and that she was going to apologize and ask him to stay the night with her in a hotel. So after reading that, I received a text from Hanabi saying she was at a sleepover and wouldn't be back until Sunday morning, which I assumed really meant Sunday _night_.

Figuring I'd be home alone with all of this anxiety, I'd turned to Naruto and asked him if he wanted to stay for dinner. And then after dinner I asked if he'd stay the night too. He looked unsure but said yes nonetheless. So that's how we ended up in my room listening to _Painting Flowers _for the thirtieth time and eating cups of beef ramen.

"I'm surprised you can even look at another bowl of ramen after this afternoon," I say with a laugh as Naruto reaches for my unfinished cup of ramen. He grins and snatches the chopsticks from my mouth. I stare at him in shock as he finishes off my ramen using my chopsticks.

"Wow, it's late," he comments while staring at my bedside clock. He turns to me with red cheeks. "Do you want me to sleep in Neji's room?"

My eyes widen. "Oh, um…" I avert my gaze as the tiny little elves nesting inside of me begin to light their candles. "You can sleep in here." I say, almost whisper.

Naruto watches me. I mean, _really _watches me. Then a second later, he climbs to his knees. "No," he says. "I don't think that's a good idea."

I stare at him with furrowed eyebrows. My cheeks had to be the color of crimson by now but I don't look away. "I promise I won't-"

"It's not you I'm worried about," he says, cutting me off. "I don't know if I'd be able to control myself."

After staring into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, Naruto places a hand on the crown of my head and ruffles my nearly dry hair. "Okay," he says. "I'm going to get ready for bed. Is there a bathroom I can use?"

I point to my right, and he nods his head. Once he's gone, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding and turn to the empty cups of ramen littering my floor. Had Naruto just implied that he may…do something to me? I shake the thought from my head and grab the dozens of ramen cups to throw away.

I couldn't believe I'd actually tried to get him to sleep in my bed with me! I had actually sounded desperate, too. I was such a moron, such a dork.

I grab my pajamas and head for the bathroom. Then I stand there, clutching my shorts and tank top to my chest while waiting for Naruto to finish up. When the doorknob turns, I take a step back and prepare myself for his gaze to find mine once more. When he does meet my gaze, he gives a sheepish look. "Could I borrow some of Neji's clothes? To sleep in, I mean."

I nod, a bright red blush dusting my cheeks, and show him to Neji's room. "You can, um, take whatever you need." I say. "And this is where you'll be sleeping."

"Okay, thanks," he says quietly.

"I'm going to go take a bath…" I lick my lips. I hope he didn't think I was trying to seduce him or anything. "So if you need anything, just knock." He turns away with a curt nod. "Okay," I say before heading for the bathroom. Once I'm in, I draw my bath and close my eyes, imagining Naruto's face as I lightly hum the lyrics to the song I'd been listening to nearly all day. And I don't stop humming until my throat feels raw.

…

_Naruto's POV_

Naruto places a hand to the doorknob of Hinata's room. She was in the bath so it wasn't like he was going to be doing anything with her. He still felt a little odd being in her room, especially when he was alone with her, but it was a good feeling.

He opens the door and takes a look around. She'd cleaned up the mess already but had left the music going. Naruto smiles to himself. She sure did love that song. After a moment of admiring the scents and feelings overcoming him, he takes a step inside and his eyes immediately find her lap top. "I need to check my mail," he mumbles. "I don't think she'd mind…"

He takes a seat atop her bed, turns the music down, and types in the address. After a moment of searching through his inbox, he finds a letter from the school board. He rolls his eyes. "Junk mail or hate mail," he says while rolling over the _delete_ button. But as he reads the subject, something pulls the mouse to the _open_ button instead.

"Blah blah blah," he says while skimming through the letter. Then his eyes widen. "The school newspaper would greatly appreciate it if you were to write an advice column for them…Blah blah blah…extra credit!"

He hits the_ reply_ button and begins to type a response. The corners of his mouth tug up into a large grin. Maybe, just maybe he could have a chance at a future and at a career. Maybe this could help him figure out what he wanted to be when he got out of high school! Maybe with this he could actually graduate high school…

After checking for spelling errors, he presses the _send_ button and lets out a sigh of relief. That's when he hears the bathroom door opening and a variety of scents waft down from the bathroom into Hinata's room, scents such as vanilla and butterscotch. "So she's a vanilla person," Naruto muses aloud before setting the laptop carefully on the bed and springing into the hallway. He barely makes it into his room just as Hinata comes around the corner.

He prayed she hadn't seen him.

…

_Normal POV_

As I step into my room, the sudden urge to go see Naruto hit me like a thirteen foot wave. I set my dirty clothes in my hamper, folded neatly as always, and take a look in the mirror. Was I presentable? My hair was normally worn down and acted as a curtain to hide my chest. But now that my hair was in braids, my chest was completely visible.

I opt for changing my shorts to the usual orange and red plaid pajama pants and then shrug into a blanket. Then I head for Neji's room where Naruto would be sleeping for the night. Thoughts were racing through my mind, and they weren't only about Naruto. Thoughts of Tenten's note were beginning to emerge from the recesses of my mind. She and Neji were going to a hotel? That means they'd be…doing it. I sure hoped Tenten planned on marrying Neji because with a baby, college would be a very difficult task.

I knock on the door and after a second, Naruto opens it with an inquiring look. I give him a small smile. "I just wanted to say goodnight," I say.

"Are you going to bed now?" he asks while opening the door wider for me to come in. I do so with a shrug.

"Are you?" I ask.

"I don't know. I don't think I can sleep with these staring at me," he says while picking up a pair of Neji's boxers with his thumb and index finger. He holds it out as if it's a piece of moldy bread and then sets it down with a laugh. "And that's not all. There's underwear for all genders in here."

"Oh gosh," I say with wide eyes. My cheeks darken as the blood rushes to my face. "I'm so sorry, Naruto. Would you rather sleep in the living room?"

Naruto laughs. "I knew they were doing it in here all along," my blush intensifies. "But no. I'm cool with sleeping in here. Besides," he inches closer to me and places his lips to my ear. "I found Neji's porn stash." My heart stutters. I had no idea what to say but the elves in my cheeks sure knew what to do. Just as I was on the verge of ramming my fist into his gut-only in my mind, anyway-Naruto lets out a chuckle. "Just kidding. Neji's too sophisticated for that."

He goes and takes a seat on Neji's bed.

"But are you?" I ask. And I don't even realize I'd asked it until I see the odd look on Naruto's face, a look of discomfort and uneasiness. "Oh my gosh, sorry," I say while waving my arms back and forth dismissively, as if to wipe the words from the air. "I didn't mean-"

"No," he says, cutting me off. I stare at him. "When I was younger, I found a stash in my godfather's bedroom. I was really into it then. But then one of his girlfriends found it and she made a huge deal over it. She was crying and she looked so…hurt." Naruto's eyes are downcast and it makes me feel terrible, as if I was the cause of his sadness. "Anyway, she stole all of our money and left him. That's the day I vowed never to read or watch that stuff again. I'd never want to hurt a girl the way he did…like that."

I'm silent. That was…the perfect answer. And it was that very reason that I was so distrusting of his story. I mean, really, had he said that because he knew that was what I wanted to hear? Naruto didn't seem like that kind of guy but really, something like that is just not believable.

"The ironic thing was, though," he says, on to a more jovial mood. "Was that my godfather actually writes that stuff! And she had no clue about it, too!"

I watch as he bursts into fits of laughter and even though my mind has flipped on the caution switch, I can't help but to laugh along. Irony was funny, after all. Once the two of us have calmed down, Naruto slams his palms down onto his knees and lets out a content sigh. "Okay," he says. "Are you tired yet?"

"Do you want me to be?" I ask.

Naruto grins. "Not really. Although I do have church tomorrow morning so sleep would kind of be ideal."

My eyes inwardly widen. I had no idea Naruto attended church. It just…didn't seem like something he would do. In fact…I should probably be going as well but Neji doesn't ever take me and I don't have a car…

_Excuses, excuses. _

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning, then." He says, and rises from the bed. I watch as he comes closer and then reaches behind me for the light switch. The two of us lock gazes. "What?" he asks.

My cheeks burn as I open my mouth to ask the question that would probably get me laughed at. "Can I come too?" I inquire shyly. Naruto blinks.

"You wanna come to church with me?" I nod my head. "Well…okay then. Great!" he scratches the back of his head with a wide grin. "This is awesome. I've never brought a guest before." I smile back and reach for the doorknob behind me.

"Okay," I say, and then open it and take a step back into the hall. "Good night."

"Sweet dreams," he responds before switching off the light.

Sweet dreams, indeed.

…

Naruto stares down at his pastel orange dress shirt and jeans with a small frown. "Do I look okay?" he inquires under his breath. I smile to myself as I fix his collar and fasten a faded white tie around his neck.

"You look handsome," I nearly whisper. A blush dances across both of our cheeks and Naruto turns his cheek so as not to look me in the eyes.

"Thanks," he says. "You look nice too." I glance briefly down at the dark orange sundress I'd secretly borrowed from Tenten and twist my lips. "Hey, did you set this up so we could match?" Naruto asks, to which I laugh.

"How clever of you to notice," I say as charmingly as possible. Naruto doesn't say anything but instead places a hand on my wrist as I fix the knot of his tie. My eyes dart up to his.

"Hey Hinata," he starts softly. "Would you want to spend the rest of the day with me?" I blink.

"The rest of the day?" he nods. "Are you sure? Aren't you busy or anything?"

"No. Are you?"

"No,"

"Great," he says with a wide grin. "Then maybe after church we could head down to Ichiraku with those coupons I got for the contest," I smile at this. "Then we could hit the movies, or maybe the park. Which do you prefer?" I shake my head slightly, amused, and show him to the door.

Naruto is still asking questions and suggesting activities when we reach his car in the lot. He finally pauses for breath as he opens my door and I look up at him with a grin. "Naruto, we should decide that after ramen."

He seems a bit embarrassed but agrees nonetheless.

…

When Sunday school has finished, Naruto shows me to the foyer where a handful of men dressed in dress pants and seven year old girls are handing out pamphlets. Naruto takes on and I follow suit with a thank you. "Let's get a seat before they're taken up," Naruto whispers to me.

"This place is so homey," I murmur. "It's not at all what I expected…"

"Oh yeah? Is that a good thing?" Naruto loops his arm with mine and shows me to an aisle of vacant seats. The two of us take our seats at the end of the row and settle in.

"It's a very good thing," I say. "Everyone is so welcoming and…fun!"

"Well not everyone is stuffy like your cousin," Naruto says with a laugh. I 'tsk' him but inwardly take a moment to giggle. Suddenly, a girl with long, silver hair that reaches her waist and tan skin approaches the two of us. I stare up at her with a look of awe. She was wearing a baby blue dress with a short turtle neck, and her hair reminded me of the thinnest of spider webs. She was truly awe-inspiring.

"Hi," she says timidly. Naruto looks up then and gives her a grin.

"Oh hey, you were in Sunday school with us, weren't you?" he says enthusiastically.

The girl gives an awkward smile and nods. "Yes, I just wanted to say hi. I say you two in Sunday school and, well, I thought maybe you two went to Konoha High?"

"Yeah, we do," Naruto says. "Why?"

"I'm new here. I just transferred from Dubai and I wanted to meet some people before I walked in there afraid."

Naruto laughs. "No problem," he says. "I'm Naruto and this is Hinata," he shakes her hand and then I reach over him and do so as well. The girl shifts uncomfortably. "So what's your name?"

"My name is Amaya,"

"That's pretty," I comment.

"Thank you,"

"Hey, you're welcome to sit with us if you want." Naruto offers, to which Amaya smiles. She takes a seat beside me and then seconds later, the pastor steps up to the podium with a warm greeting. Perhaps this would become a regular thing.

…

"So Hinata," Naruto says as he stops the car at the curb across the street from Ichiraku. "What did you think of Amaya?"

"She seems nice," I say. "Maybe we could become friends."

"Probably," he agrees. "But I think I creeped her out a litte."

I sweat drop.

"You come on a little strong sometimes, Naruto. But that's sometimes a good thing," Naruto cocks his head to the side. I turn away, a blush dusting my cheeks. "Well, I mean, I always loved your happy-go-lucky attitude. I think…it's quite charming."

Naruto is silent and I can tell he's staring at me but I don't make eye contact. "Oh," I say, and turn to him despite my inward objections. "You don't want to get ramen on your-I mean, Neji's good dress shirt."

Naruto blinks, as if awoken from a trance, and then stares down at his chest. "Oh yeah," he says monotonously. I bite the side of my cheek. Had I…said something wrong? I was always doing that. Maybe I was the one who came on too strong. Yeah, me, little miss shy-guy.

He starts to undo the tie, causing a panicky feeling to rise in my chest. "No, Naruto! What are you doing?" I nearly shout. Naruto ignores my question and continues to undo his tie. After a moment of fighting with the knot, the cloth unravels and Naruto releases himself from it. Then he reaches for the hems of his shirt, ready to pull it off. "Naruto, what on earth are you doing?!" I say a little more loudly.

Naruto looks up at me with red-stained cheeks. "I'm changing shirts," he says. "I have a spare in the back. Which reminds me, could you reach back there and get it for me please?"

I stare at him blankly. He wanted me to get him his shirt. That was it. So what was I sweating about?

I start to slowly turn around when the thought of missing Naruto take his shirt off hits me. So I make haste and nearly dive backwards, looking aimlessly for a shirt. "Naruto, I don't see-"

I pause when the feeling of a breeze whips through my backdoor.

I'd completely forgotten I was wearing a dress!

I retract quickly, rumpling my dress in the process of sitting back in my seat. But when I turn to Naruto and see his crimson cheeks, I know it's too late. He'd not only seen my underwear, but also my thighs and butt. This was so humiliating.

The two of us sit there in silence for a minute or so until I finally look up and notice for the first time that Naruto's shirt was lying on his lap and his chest was completely bare. My jaw drops the slightest bit as I ogle at his soft, tan skin with the slightest bit of blonde hairs sprouting from the center, the ripple of his stomach, and the blond happy trail that led to somewhere very happy.

Naruto seems to notice me staring and stutters, "Hinata, stop looking! You're embarrassing me!"

I nearly choke as our eyes lock. I couldn't look away, and I swear it was even more embarrassing to be caught staring at him than to be caught with my dress hiked up to my waist. And then Naruto does something somewhat touching and somewhat terrifying. He places a hand on my bare knee, and all the while, our gazes stay completely still on each other.

And then he strokes my skin with the pad of his thumb.

I can't even swallow the spit that was beginning to clog my throat. Soon I wouldn't be able to breathe and I would completely ruin the moment, so I swallow deeply, making a small sound with my throat, to which Naruto smiles.

"Hinata," he starts, and then pauses. "I…don't know what to say."

Suddenly, there's an obnoxious knocking on the window and the two of us are snapped out of our trances. Naruto and I whip our heads to the front of the car to find a group of guys that I recognized as students in our class smirking and making certain inappropriate hand gestures. Naruto mutters a curse before reaching for the door handle.

"No," I say quickly. He stops and turns to me. "Maybe…maybe we should go back to my place," Naruto's eyes widen and I can feel my head beginning to swim. "No, not like that! I meant, I'm not feeling like ramen anymore. I'm…I'm…"

I can't finish my sentence because suddenly, a familiar iron bar appears out of nowhere and swings itself right in my direction. I close my eyes I duck my head, placing my hands at the nape of my neck as if something were about to collapse on me.

"Hinata,"

I could just barely hear his voice but after a couple of seconds, it was nearly clear as a bell. I open my eyes to glance up at the worried expression on Naruto's face. "Hinata, are you okay? What were you ducking from?"

"I…" I sit up in my seat, blink a few times, and glance around me. The boys were gone. I turn to the clock on the radio and it read six minutes later than it had last time. I'd been out for six minutes…?

"Hinata?" I can feel Naruto's strong hand on my shoulder and it's just enough to pull me back to reality. I blink one more time and the dizziness is over. "Are you alright? Should I take you to a hospital?"

I shake my head. "No," I say. "I'm just…feeling dizzy." I clutch my head and Naruto gives me an uncertain look.

"Okay, I'm taking you home," he says, and starts the engine. ""But I'm staying with you."

"You are?" I ask.

"Yeah. Anything you want, just name it. I'll be beside you to serve you at your beck and call, okay?" I nod.

Naruto was too good to me.

…

"So describe to me what you say exactly." Naruto says as I slip underneath the sheets of my bed. He places three extra blankets over top of me and then tucks them around my neck. "You said you saw something coming for you, right?"

Perhaps telling Naruto about what I had seen was a bad idea. I mean, what if he reported it and I ended up in a loony room? But he was pestering me so much that it gave me a headache and, well, I couldn't say no to a shirtless Naruto.

I was weak.

"I saw an iron bar," I say. "It looked like it was coming towards me."

"Really? That's odd," he comments while placing a hot towel on my forehead. "You don't have a temperature or anything like that. You want some ramen?" I almost roll my eyes. "Or maybe some soup?" he gives a sheepish laugh.

"That sounds nice," I say.

"I'll be right back, then,"

Once he's gone, I take a deep breath and let it out. I wasn't very hungry but I would eat a little so as to not worry Naruto so much. I turn over in bed and close my eyes. Suddenly, I was feeling very tired, and after a minute or two of thinking, I fall asleep.

…

When I wake up, there's a bowl of soup and a glass of water on my nightstand with a Hershey kiss sitting beside the glass. I smile to myself before glancing to my other side, which is when I'm greeted to Naruto's peaceful face. My cheeks burn as I stare at the sleeping boy beside me. Naruto had fallen asleep beside me. What was I to do?

Just then, the sound of my door opening slowly alerts me, and I turn to see who the intruder is. To my surprise, it's Hanabi. Her hair is up in a messy bun at the top of her head and her clothes look new and clean, not worn out like she'd been at a party. She even looked sober. What time was it?

I turn to see the clock read four in the afternoon. My eyes widen. I'd been asleep for four and a half hours! Oh geez. Where were Tenten and Neji? I had to do my homework! School was tomorrow!

Hanabi takes a seat on the free side of my bed and places a hand to my sweaty forehead. "Are you sick?" she asks.

"I don't know," I say. "I had a dizzy spell."

Hanabi and I sit there for a moment, my eyes on her and her eyes on her lap. "Hanabi," I say finally. "Did you have fun?"

She nods and then bites her lip. "But…not as much fun as I had expected," I raise my eyebrows at this. "I'm not really liking this club thing with the cheerleaders."

"Why not? Isn't it fun hanging with Karin?"

Hanabi scoffs. "No way, and how is slaving away to them as a faithful manservant fun?"

"What do they make you do?"

"Mostly they make me fetch them coffee and bagels, but other times they make me deliver notes to people," She says, and averts her gaze. "One of them was to you." She says more quietly.

I furrow my brows at this. "You mean…hate mail, right?"

"Something like that," she says, and hands me the note. It was stamped with a pink skull and crossed bones. "But I didn't read it so I don't really know."

I open the letter and read it silently to myself, the soft hum of Naruto's snoring the only sound in the room.

_Dear Hinata,_

_You have done well for your first task during the cultural festival. If only we could see more of this potential… Come to the gym at three in the afternoon tomorrow. We'd like to see what you've got._

_~The cheer squad_

I stare blankly at the letter. Surely this whole "dizzy" thing hand made my sight a bit blurry. I never receive any kind of letter from Karin unless it's hate mail and this was certainly not hate mail. So then…

I read it over once more before sealing it shut and placing it beside me bowl of cold soup. "Thanks," I say.

"I'm quitting," It almost comes as a shock since she'd said it so fast but after a moment of looking into her eyes, I can feel the truthfulness behind her words. "I don't want to be a part of this anymore. So…I hope you're happy."

She gets up and heads for the door but I quickly call out, "Hanabi, don't give up your dreams!" she turns back to look at me. "I mean, if you like to cheer, don't let Karin get in the way of that. Besides, Karin will be out of there before you join so…don't lose hope."

She nods and then exits the room. I stare down at Naruto's unruly blond hair and gently stroke it with my fingers. His hair was soft and shiny. Thoughts of the scene from the car come racing back to me and I retract my hand quickly.

Naruto had…taken off his shirt. And he'd seen my underwear, and he'd stroked my knee. Was I imagining it or was he flirting with me?

Nope, I was definitely imagining it.

**A/N: **I updated! YAY ^^ So, I hope you all liked our new OC because she'll be appearing in here quite frequently :D Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!


	7. Plan of Action

Chapter Seven:

Plan of Action

**A/N: ** Hi guys :) So now that exams are over and I scored mostly Bs on them, I can write for you again! YAY! Anyway, thanks to all of you lovely reviewers. I love all of you so much! And to those who don't review, well, I still love you too ^^ Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

It was like starting middle school all over again. It would have been somewhat like elementary school if only the rumors being spread about me were innocent, child-play kinds of things. But instead of anything along the lines of _Hinata stole Ino's magic sparkle pen, _the rumors were vicious, and each whisper I heard was like another drop of poison into my bloodstream.

It started as soon as I walked through the front doors. I was in a good mood, considering Hanabi and my relationship was getting better and Naruto and I were really starting to bond, but as soon as I stepped foot into the hallway, the whispers began. It was like a wave, building up slowly and softly until its crashing finale thunders through your ears and reverberates through the sand beneath you.

Everyone's eyes were on me as their lips moved in perfect synchronization. They all whispered the same thing, at the same time. And it was for that reason that I could hear the words clear as a bell, as if someone had spoken them to me right to my face. "Did you hear that Hinata had Naruto spend the night with her?"

My face instantly turns beet red as the words register through my mind. How had everyone found out? Surely Naruto hadn't told anyone… I mean, it would ruin his reputation too, right? Besides, Naruto was my friend. He wouldn't do that to me… Would he?

I make my way for my locker in a hurry, brushing past the sneering faces of my peers until I finally reach my note-clad locker. I take one look at the horrific words on the sticky pads and turn away, my back pressing against my locker door. As the bell rings for first period, I sink to the floor, my books clutched to my chest.

Who was I kidding? This would have been great for Naruto's reputation: sleeping with a girl. Of course, sleeping with me may have actually soiled any chance of him meeting another girl in his life but… What other explanation was there?

The sound of padding footsteps alerts me and I lift my head to see a certain brunette coming my way. His eyes are fixed on the locker beside mine-_his_. When he finally notices me, though, sitting helplessly like a lost puppy on the floor, he stares at me for a moment and doesn't look away until the morning announcements come on. When Tsunade's voice rings overhead, he tears his gaze away from mine, turns on his heel, and makes his way for first period.

And then I break down in tears.

…

I'd skipped first and second period hiding away in the bathroom, but when it came time to head to third, I made my way quickly to the teacher and asked to see the nurse. She agreed and so I spent the next two periods in the nurse's office, feigning illness while lying on one of the red leather beds. It was lunch time now, and nurse Shizune opens the door with a small smile. "Hi Hinata," she says, to which I nod my head. "How are you feeling?"

"Bad," I say, although I'm not lying.

"It's lunch time. What do you say? Should I call your dad to come pick you up or do you wanna give lunch a try?"

My heart skips a beat. I'd completely forgotten the reason why Neji never allowed Hanabi or me to go to the nurse's office. The school didn't know that our father was deceased and that we were living in Neji's apartment. Neji wasn't eighteen, and so he didn't legally have the right to take Hanabi and me under his wing. What was I to do? Would this somehow bring suspicion upon me?

I clear my throat and sit up. "Lunch sounds good," I lie.

"Great. I'll write you a pass for your fifth period teacher and you can go have lunch," she says, and slips a pass from her pocket. "Oh, and Hinata," she adds. "Don't feel bad about the rumors. I wouldn't believe them even if they showed me a videotape."

My eyes widen. How had she known…?!

"If you need to talk to me, I'm right here," she says, and hands me my pass. I thank her and head down to my fifth period feeling clammy and nauseous. Now I really did feel sick but it was too late to go back to the nurse's office.

When I open the door, everyone's heads turn to me and I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. They all give a cold stare and then a couple of guys in the front of the classroom cup their chests and make kissy faces at me. I recognize them as the ones Naruto and I saw on the street yesterday.

I bow and then make my way to my seat in the back of the classroom, past Kiba and past Naruto. But I don't miss the hurt look Naruto gives me when I avert my gaze from his. From the right side of the classroom, Sakura gives me a smile that says_ hang in there_. I nod and then put my head down.

Could today get any worse? I mean, that horrible rumor was spread about me, I skipped four classes, I almost busted Neji and my secret, and…and…

And I had a meeting with the cheerleaders after school today.

I'd almost forgotten.

Suddenly, someone's voice rings out in the nearly silent room. "Hey Hinata, how'd it feel for your first time? I know you've been dying to open up to someone since you've got no one."

My insides begin to twist in a way that nearly fools me into believing that a bag of fiery snakes had been let loose into my stomach. I stare up at the girl who now stares down at me from the side of the classroom: Fuka. Her eyes are blazing with victory, smugness radiating off of every inch of the girl's ivory skin. I bite my lip to keep it from trembling. How could people be so insanely cruel?

The sound of someone's palms slamming onto a desk alerts me, ripping me from my thoughts. Everyone turns in the direction of the sound, and to mostly everyone's surprise, there stands Naruto with his head down and his hair covering his eyes. I can see from this angle that his jaw is set in a teeth-grinding way. "Hinata and I didn't fuck," he states through gritted teeth. "She was just being kind and letting me stay the night. It was nothing like that. I would never hurt Hinata like that."

Fuka narrows her gaze at the blond, her sparkly purple nails digging into her skirt. Everyone is silent as Naruto lifts his head and turns slightly so that our eyes lock. The two of us stare into each other's eyes for what seems like an eternity. My body was shaking, if not outwardly than at least inwardly, and my face radiated with a newfound heat. The elves must have started using different light bulbs.

"Although, for the record, I really wouldn't mind having her for myself."

For a moment, I thought I'd imagined it. I'd watched his lips move the entire time, breaking his enticing gaze to watch, mesmerized, as his lips moved in a dance that mind could only dream of moving in. My ears had been ringing, and I almost considered being deaf, until the sound of a fire alarm jerked me out of my trance.

Naruto was by my side the moment I blinked. How had he gotten there so fast? I watch as the last of the students in our class make for the exit, and then turn to Naruto's outstretched hand. "Are you okay?" he asks in concern. I don't say anything, but take his hand instead. He leads me out the door and into the hallway where a throng of students stampedes for the doors. It was just a drill, right? This wasn't the real deal…was it?

Naruto's hand is warm in mine as he pulls me through the crowd of shoving students and then finally into the cool September air. I shiver slightly as Naruto and I make our way for class B's spot in the parking lot, and then he turns around to face me, keeping a strong hold on my hand. "Are you okay? Are you dizzy?" he places the back of his hand to my forehead to test my temperature and his eyes widen. "Hinata, you're burning up!"

"It's normal," I try to convince him but he doesn't have any of it. Instead he waves a hand vigorously in the air, calling out for Kakashi's assistance. I quickly snatch his hand in mine and place it to my stomach. "Naruto, sh," I scold. "They don't have time for me right now."

"Hinata, you have a fever," Naruto argues.

"It's just my blush," I say. "Really."

"Your blush?" I nod. Naruto scratches at the nape of his neck with his free hand and then lets out a small chuckle. But his face still shows the remnants of seriousness. "Hinata, I know everyone has been giving you a really hard time," he starts. "And I'm sorry I hadn't done anything until just now but-"

"Naruto, it's okay," I interrupt. "You don't deserve to get twisted into all of my problems." I lower my gaze to the pavement beneath my shoes and let out a sigh through my nose. "I understand if you don't want to be friends with me anymore."

"Hinata," the sincerity in his voice causes me to look up with a start. His eyes bore into mine, a milky moon shining against the harsh waves of a dark storm. "Did you not hear what I said in there?"

"Well, no, not really. I think my ears were ringing," I say while tapping at my ear with my index finger. Naruto laughs.

"Well…I meant what I said, and if you honestly didn't hear me then I'll tell you again. But this time, I'll tell you face to face," My eyes follow his to our intertwined hands and a small blush dusts my cheeks, "But not here," he whispers. "At my place."

"Your place?" I raise my eyebrows, to which he nods his head.

"My place," he says, and then smiles. "Tonight,"

"Tonight," I repeat.

Three bells ring, signaling the end of the drill, and everyone heads back for the classrooms. And the only things on my mind were Naruto and my date tonight and the fact that he still hadn't let go of my hand.

…

The day dragged on in a horrendous fashion. I was made fun of whenever the chance arose, but at least I didn't have to leave the classroom very often. I only left once, for gym, and that's where most of the harassing had happened. Although with Naruto there, things weren't nearly as bad. He'd stuck by my side the entire time, and he even tried following me into the girl's room, but that landed the two of us into even deeper trouble.

Now it was the end of the day and my meeting with the cheer squad, or should I say, my meeting with the devil and her red-cheeked helpers was finally here. As I shove my things into my backpack, Naruto appears by my desk with a small smile. "I'll drive you home," he says. "And then…I was thinking you could get changed or something and we could have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves…" he rubs his arm nervously. "If you don't mind."

I stare up at him with hot cheeks. "I have to be somewhere right now," I say. "But if it's no trouble…do you think you could wait for me?"

Part of me wanted a ride home with Naruto and part of me just wanted a body guard, or someone to at least be there to find my body if something happened to me. Naruto grins widely and says, "Sure, I'll wait."

"Thanks," I say, and stand up. "I'm going to the gym."

"The gym? That's where the cheer leaders are though."

"Yeah, I know," I say quietly while exiting the classroom with a bow. Naruto hurries after me, a string of questions flowing from his mouth.

"What do they want with you? Do you want me to come with you?" he sounds worried, but I find myself wishing he wasn't so worried. I mean, part of me was flattered while the other part was angry that I was causing him so much worry.

"I'm fine," I say, and stop by the entrance to the gym. "It'll all be fine. I promise. Just wait here, okay?" he looks skeptical but finally agrees to let me go on my own. I open the wooden doors and enter the gym with a quit nervousness. I was vacant, all but a stand of basketballs.

"Hey Hina," someone says. I recognize the voice as Kin's and turn around sharply. She has her arms crossed over her chest and a small smirk on her face. "Did you bring lover boy?"

"What's this about?" I ask.

"Okay, we'll do it your way," she says.

"Kin, shut up," Ino says, appearing beside her with an annoyed look on her face.

"What did you just say, blondie?" the raven-haired girl says angrily, to which Ino rolls her eyes. She places a hand on Kin's head and hushes her, as if she were a dog. Then she turns to me.

"Karin wants to see you," she says.

"I sort of figured. Why?"

Ino clucks her tongue against her cheek, irritated. "Do I look like a mind reader? Just move that scrawny ass of yours over to the bleachers!" I jump, startled, and then turn and stare at the dark set of bleachers. The lights to the gym were off, causing shadows to drape over everything in sight. I swallow slightly and make my way for the darkest area of the gym, Kin and Ino watching me closely. I can still hear them bickering to each other when I finally reach the bleachers.

"It's hard to say," I hear Karin's voice from near the wall and train my eyes on her silhouette. "But you're actually a lot more liked than I thought." I raise my eyebrows. "That is, until your little episode today." She steps out of the shadows so that I can see her face more clearly. Two others step with her: Hana and Fuka.

"What do you want?" I inquire.

"I was thinking that if you could get so many guys to kiss you then maybe, just maybe, you'd be a hit on the cheer squad."

The cheer quad? A hit? Was that a pun…? Were they going to make me their new punching bag? What on earth was going on?!

"I don't understand-"

"We want you on the squad," Fuka spits. "Or, Karin does. Oddly enough."

"Well, I did," Karin adds. "Until your little episode today."

I turn to Hana who's giving me a look that reads, _convince them._

Convince them? What was I supposed to convince them into thinking? Was I supposed to defend myself against the rumors? Did Hana want me on the squad? More importantly, was this part of her plan?

I clear my throat. "Naruto and I weren't doing anything. Honestly, we were…" I decide to fudge it. I decide to completely lie and use my alibi for Sunday night for my alibi for Saturday night instead. "We were at Ichiraku when I had a fainting spell and had to be taken home. I was knocked out all Saturday night and when I woke up the next morning, Naruto was there. He had stayed with me."

I was praying on everything that this worked. Hana was giving me an encouraging smile.

And then Fuka says, "Then why did Naruto say you were the one helping him out?"

Hana blanches and Karin turns to me with a raised eyebrow.

One white lie leads to another but… Dammit!

"Yeah, well before I fainted, Naruto was feeling really down because this person from his church is really sick, so he asked me to come to church with him and then after that we went and got ramen. He was thanking me a whole bunch for spending the day with him, and I guess that's what he meant." I lie.

Fuka doesn't seem to believe it but Hana puts on a smug expression and Karin just shakes her head. "Church? I swear, you're all a bunch of dweebs. Anyway, I want to have a tryout for you on Friday. Is that good?"

"Um-"

"Great. See you then."

Karin snaps her fingers and she and Fuka begin to head towards Ino and Kin, who are still bickering. Hana stays behind a moment longer to give me a congratulatory smile. "Awesome job with that save," she says. "Both of them, actually."

"Is this a part of your plan?" I ask.

"All of it," she says. "So keep up with me, okay?"

"I'd have better luck with that if you'd tell me that plan first," I mumble, to which Karin ruffles my hair with a laugh.

"Hey, um… About Kiba," she starts. I stiffen. I was so not ready for this conversation. "He's a complicated kid and, well… He sees who Naruto's eyes are on and doesn't wanna get in the way. So just keep in mind that everything he does is for you."

I stare at her in confusion. Who were Naruto's eyes on? And what did that have to do with me? Or...were Naruto's eyes on me?!

Hana pats me on the back before running to catch up with the rest of the squad. But then my mind clicks and I call out, "Wait!" everyone stops in their tracks and turns to me with lethal expressions, save Hana. "How…did the whole school find out about this?" I ask. I was sure Naruto could hear me shouting this but I didn't care. Both of us needed to know and if Karin had the answers, well, I was all for it.

"Let's just say a little birdie told us," Fuka shouts with a laugh before turning and walking away. The others stare after her, as if confused. Did that mean that the other cheer leaders didn't have anything to do with the rumor? Was Fuka the one who had spread it?

Just then, Naruto opens the door with a frown. I turn to him, startled, and then turn back to where the cheer leaders had been standing moments before. But they were already gone. He makes his way towards me and then grabs my wrist. "Are you okay?" he asks. "You were taking a while."

"I'm fine," I stutter out. Had he heard anything?

"Okay," his face lifts into its usual mellow expression, and then he says, "So what's the news? What did they say?"

"Well, I think starting Friday, I'm gonna be a cheerleader."

…

When I walk through the apartment door, I find Neji in the kitchen, white flour dusting his entire face with a few extra pepperings throughout his tied back hair. I give him a confused look, and the two of us stare at each other until Tenten pops up from behind the counter, her hair tied back into a loose pony tail and tomato sauce smeared across her left cheek. I press my lips together and let my things fall to the ground. "What's going on?" I ask.

"We're making pizza," Tenten says. "From scratch."

I was never personally a fan of American food, especially pizza since it was so greasy, but the aroma it was giving off was heavenly. "Okay, so you guys have a fight, are gone for two days, skip school, and then I find the two of you in the kitchen when I get back from my trip to hell, making pizza from scratch, as if you two are a newlywed couple?"

Tenten and Neji share a look and then Tenten gives a sheepish shrug. "Sorry about that. We should have called."

"Like hell you should have!" I shout, startling even myself.

"Woah," Neji says. "How long have you been hanging around Naruto?"

Did it really show?

I let out a sigh and take a seat on the couch. "Guys, today was really rough and I could have seriously used your help." I run a hand through my hair tiredly. Tenten sets down her rolling pin and comes to take a seat beside me. She places a hand on my thigh.

"What happened?" she asks.

"I don't think you two would care, honestly, but what happened was Fuka told everyone that Naruto and I slept together and now the whole school is buzzing with a newfound hate for me. As if they didn't hate me enough already."

Tenten gasps and Neji slams down a fist on the counter. "She what?!" he shouts. "I can't believe this!"

"You know it's only because Fuka still likes Naruto and he doesn't give two cents about her," Tenten reassures while nodding her head in a matter-of-fact fashion.

"Guys, stop," I say, and rise to my feet. "It's over now. I've got a date with them on Friday and, well, a date with Naruto now," I turn for the hallway that leads to my room while calling over my shoulder, "I'll be back tonight."

It's completely silent behind me when I close my bedroom door and begin to change.

…

I stare at the golden numbers on Naruto's apartment door while breathing nervously. I was going into Naruto's apartment and it would just be the two of us. I stare down at my outfit: a pair of pastel orange skinny jeans that I'd gotten from Tenten on my sixteenth birthday, a white blouse with dotted orange flowers, and a pair of white converse. I think I was ready.

I bring my fist up to the door to knock but before my skin makes contact with the polished wood, I hear a click and the door opens to reveal Naruto, dressed in black jeans and a yellow tee. I stare at him unexpectedly as he smiles a wide, face-splitting smile. He looks a bit nervous. "Sorry," he says with a laugh. "I was sort of waiting by the door and saw you through the peephole."

A blush paints me from my neck to the crown of my head as thoughts of Naruto waiting for me, stealing glances at his watch race through my mind. I swallow nervously and take a step inside. "I like your outfit," he comments. "You look nice in that color."

"Thanks," I say. I take a look around at his apartment. It was bigger than mine-much bigger-and the furnishings looked as if they belonged in a millionaire's house. His kitchen had high-grade appliances and there was a flat screen TV attached to the wall opposite the kitchen so that you could watch as you were cooking. I stare in awe at how beautiful it all looked.

"My godfather's a famous author," Naruto says, drawing me back to reality. "That's why everything looks like this."

"Oh," I say. "So you get this all to yourself?"

"Pretty much,"

Naruto leads me down a hall, motioning to the bathroom and then to his godfather's room, to which he adds, "Don't go in there. Ever." And then, finally, he stops at his bedroom door and presses his lips together. My heart flutters in my chest like a bird escaping a cat's clutches as the two of us stand there, thinking the same thing. Then Naruto places a hand to the doorknob and opens the door to reveal a room with white carpeted floors, a king sized bed, a fan shaped like a flower, and French doors that lead to a balcony and an amazing view.

"Wow," is all I can say. Naruto chuckles and leads me to his bed. As I follow him, I notice there's another plasma screen TV in this room, opposite his bed. Naruto had all the luck. He takes a seat on the edge of his bed and pats the empty space beside him.

"So…" he says. "What do you wanna do first?" I turn to him with raised eyebrows. Surprisingly, a blush spreads across his cheeks. "Oh, right. How about we start with what I said earlier today?" Now I was the one blushing (surprise, surprise.)

I swallow. "Oh, um…yeah…"

Naruto shifts in his seat. "Uh…Well…I, um…" he blinks. "Wait!" he shouts, and jumps to his feet. I jerk backwards at his sudden movement. He stares down at me with a smile. "Let's do this professionally, over dinner."

"Dinner? It's only four o'clock." I say.

"Then linner," he says, and takes my hand, leading me to the kitchen. "So what do you want? We have…" he opens the fridge to reveal milk. After a pause, he slams it shut and opens the cabinets to reveal packages and packages over ramen."…Ramen."

I giggle at his antics and reach into the cabinet and pull out two packages of beef ramen. "Sounds good to me," I say, and turn to set them down. Naruto hands me to bowls and the two of us start to unwrap our ramen.

"Sorry about this," he says. "I know ramen isn't very fancy but-"

"It's fancier than pizza," I interrupt with a giggle. I look up at Naruto with wide eyes, embarrassed for interrupting him, but he just smiles down at me with a warmness about him. My cheeks redden and I turn back to my bowl of dried noodles. Naruto takes the two bowls and fills them up with water, then places them in the microwave.

"So, Hinata, about this cheerleading thing… I don't think you should do it."

I frown. "I don't think so either," I say. "But Hana really wants me to."

"Hana's a nice girl but…" his eyes fall to his feet. "I don't want you to be like the rest of them. I like the fact that you're not like them." I stare at him in disbelief. Had he just said that he liked me for the reason everyone else hated me? Had he…?

My cheeks redden at his compliment and I turn away from him, hoping to hide my blush. "Sorry," Naruto says. The microwave beeps and he takes the bowls out and hands me a pair of chopsticks. "The couch?"

"Sure," I say, and follow him into the living room. The two of us sit on his soft, green couch, bowls of ramen to our chins. Naruto has finished his bowl before I'm even half done and sets it down with a satisfied sigh. "That was good." He says with a laugh.

I laugh too. "Geez, Naruto, why do you like ramen so much?"

Naruto doesn't say anything. I glance up at him to see a sad look on his face. "I don't know," he says. "But my godfather used to tell me that my mom used to love it a lot and that I got it from her."

I'm so focused on his sapphire eyes- how they seem to fill with sparkly, clear water whenever he's sad, and whenever he's angry, a dark blue, as if a storm were on the way, and when he's happy, the hue of the summer sky-that I don't even notice as my wrists slowly tilt towards me, bringing the bowl of sloshing broth down to my chest. I shriek as the broth burns my chest and soils my white shirt.

I curse silently as Naruto grabs a handful of paper towels from the kitchen and then kneels beside me and dabs at my chest. The two of us lock gazes as he pats my skin dry, and then dabs at my shirt. A blush is apparent on either of our faces, but neither of us looks away. He eventually gets the couch cleaned and then the floor as I watch helplessly, wishing I could cry it all away, because crying was the one thing I was good at.

"I'm so sorry," I say in a pleading tone. "I really didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," Naruto says with a grin. "Besides, it's only because you were mesmerized by my face, right?" my cheeks darken as the blood rushes to my face. "So I guess it's indirectly my fault."

I stare down at my shoes. "Sorry," I whisper while crossing my arms over my chest.

"Hey, I said it's fine, didn't I?" Naruto says while taking my elbows with his hands. He stares down at me with a soft look. "No problem, right? Now come on. I'll wash your shirt."

Naruto leads me into his room and directs me to take off my shirt. "I'll turn around," he swears, and then does so. "I'm looking for a clean shirt for you to wear." I stare at the back of his head with flushed cheeks. He seriously expected me to take my shirt off with him in the room?!

"I don't hear clothes rustling," Naruto sings with a laugh, which causes me to blush even further. So I take off my shirt as quickly as possible and then drop it by my feet on the floor. "Here," Naruto says, and holds up an orange shirt with a yellow kitten on it. I have to stifle a giggle.

"Naruto, why do you have that?" I ask.

"It was a gag gift," he says begrudgingly. "From Sasuke and Kib-from Sasuke."

And then he does the unthinkable.

He turns around, outstretching the shirt.

The two of us lock gazes, both of our eyes widening. I stand there, shaking in my white lace bra as Naruto's eyes dart from my chest to my eyes. Then he throws the shirt at me and races out of the room.

I stare down at the kitten shirt with a headache.

Why had I been cursed with such embarrassing, breast-filled acts?

God only knew.

**A/N: **Hmm… Maybe the ending was a bit over the top but I wanted to throw it in, so there! :p Hope you guys liked it! :D Comment please!


	8. Answers and Dreaded Get-Togethers

Chapter Eight:

Answers and Dreaded Get-Togethers

**A/N: **We're finally getting into the real plot. Sorry to all of those who think this story is going too slowly for you. I mean, I know it's for your own entertainment so I'm keeping cool about it, but I don't like being told what to do. So don't read my story if you don't like it. Onto a happier note, well…Yeah, there's nothing happy to talk about right now lmao xD So onto the story!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

Tuesday morning was about as awkward as it could get. Monday afternoon, after Naruto and my little incident, he had asked me to go home, hanging his head down so as to not look me in the eyes. I'd felt completely terrible and ashamed, as if it was my fault. Naruto had looked so depressed and I just couldn't place why. I mean, it's not like I'd walked in on him, right? Then he'd have a reason to be angry with me. But he walked in on me, so why was he acting this way? I just really didn't understand boys.

Anyway, when I walk into first period, Naruto isn't sitting at his desk like he usually is, stuffing his face with half an omelet before the bell rang for class to begin. I stare at his empty desk for a moment, pausing in the middle of the aisle unaware of the odd looks I was receiving. Someone taps me on the shoulder then, and I turn around, startled, hoping against hope that it would be Naruto. But when I see Sakura's emerald eyes staring at me questioningly, I almost sigh. "Hi Sakura," I say while giving a small wave.

"Long time no talk," she says while following me to my desk. I set down my bag and begin to unpack my first period stuff as Sakura takes the empty seat beside me. "How have things been for you? I mean, about the rumors."

"I think it's going to be okay," I say truthfully. No one had said anything about it to me since yesterday. Albeit, I had only been in the school for twelve minutes, but that was a record for me. "I think Naruto took care of it." I frown as the use of his name causes tiny sparks to ignite on my tongue.

"That's great," Sakura says with a longing smile. "I wish Sasuke would do something like that for me."

My eyes widen slightly and I turn to her. "Oh right, how have things been with you guys? Are you talking again?"

She shrugs. "I asked him Sunday how he was doing-I texted him," I nod. "He said he was fine and that he was sorry for what he said. He used the old _I don't know what I was thinking,_ excuse."

"So you're back to being friends?" I ask.

"Yup, for the time being. Only God knows when he'll start another fight."

"Yeah, Sasuke and I aren't good friends," I say with a small laugh.

"He's not good friends with anyone, really. Except maybe with Naruto and me," Sakura says. "Hey, speaking of which, where is the idiot? Shouldn't he be stuffing his face before the bell rings?" This time I do sigh, which alerts Sakura. "Wait, do you know something?"

I shake my head. "Actually, I know nothing, which is what scares me."

Sakura twists her lips to the side, giving an almost sympathetic look. "It'll be okay," she says. The bell rings then, and she hurries to her seat, slipping her pink cherry glasses from the case that sits on her desk. My eyes dart to Naruto's desk to check if he'd slipped in while Sakura and I were talking, but his chair was still vacant.

Class begins with Karin directing everyone to bow to the flag and then we begin our lesson on cellular respiration, probably the most complicated thing I've ever dealt with. I mean, science made no sense. We breathe in air and let out carbon dioxide, and it's that simple. We don't need macromolecules and lipids and vesicles. I mean, why complicate things?

All class period, my mind kept straying to Naruto, and my eyes kept gliding over to his desk. I just couldn't figure out where he could be, and why he'd acted the way he had last night. I mean, sure, I was scared and flustered and completely humiliated, but I was able to forgive and forget. I liked Naruto and…I didn't want him to treat me this way.

About seven minutes before first period was over, the door opens and in walks Naruto clad in his usual school uniform. He bows, hands Asuma a note, and makes his way for his desk. At the very last second, right before he sits down, his eyes flick to mine and my heart flutters uncontrollably. He turns away with a frown and takes his seat.

"Nice of you to join us, Naruto," Asuma says. "We were just talking about the Calvin Cycle."

"Cool…" Naruto mutters while reaching for his science folder.

"Indeed," Asuma murmurs while reading Naruto's late slip. He nods to himself before motioning back to the chalkboard. As if on cue, Sakura and I turn to each other at the same time, each holding questioning gazes.

The bell rings for second period and Asuma bows to the class. "Don't forget your homework," he says. "I've left the sheets on my desk. Just come up and get one." And then he exits the room, leaving the rest of us to form a line at his desk and grab a sheet of paper.

Sakura hurries toward me with two homework sheets and slams mine onto my desk. "Let's move," she whispers while grabbing my forearm and pulling me out of my chair.

"Where?" I ask nervously, already knowing the answer.

"To Naruto. We need to know where he was."

"I guess…but it's really not any of our business…" I mumble, unheard as Sakura and I approach Naruto's desk. The blond looks up at the two of us, his gaze staying on Sakura rather than me.

"Hey," he says, and turns back to his papers.

"Hey," Sakura says back. "Where were you all period?" she takes off her glasses and slips them into the pocket of her shirt.

Naruto turns back to her with a frustrated glower. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was in the office."

"Into trouble again?" Sakura asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Far from it," Naruto mutters before rising out of his seat and making his way for the front desk to grab a sheet of homework.

"What's his _quandary_?" Sakura sneers with a huff while crossing her arms over the pink sweater vest that she wore over her school uniform. I clasp my hands behind my back and start for my seat, Sakura hot on my trail. "Come on, let me in," she pleads while once again taking the empty seat beside me, as if it was reserved for her all of a sudden. "What happened between you two?"

It was odd how one minute, someone thinks they're completely above you, scoffing at you from up on their soap box, and then the next, they're acting like your best friend, squeezing the juicy secrets out of you like a lemon. Or in this case, a blueberry.

"Sakura, since when did you get so…gregarious?" I ask timidly, almost afraid that my question might drive her away. And even though she was ticking me off the slightest, I didn't want to lose my newest and one of my only friends.

She shrugs as the bell for second rings. "Perhaps you and I are connected in more ways than our social awkwardness." She says before slinking back to her chair, unnoticed by the teacher or any of the other students. What had that even meant? Sure, my politeness mixed with each of our social awkwardness brought us together, but what else did we have in common? We were both smart…we both were quiet…we both were friends with Naruto…

My eyes find their way back towards Naruto's seat, seemingly unable to keep away from his glossy blond hair. But that's not what I find when I glance back over to him. When my eyes find their way back in his general direction, I find myself staring right into his sad, poignant stare as he watches me with a frown.

And then he lets his head hang just the slightest before turning back around, leaving my heart's wings flapping uncontrollably as I stare at the back of his head, which didn't seem nearly as bright and welcoming as it had the past five years.

…

"I was thinking you and I could have a sleepover,"

Her words catch me off guard, and I reel to a stop in the middle of the bustling hallway. Someone shoves past me, spewing cuss words in my face as Sakura pulls me to the side lockers so as to not get in anyone else's way. She stares at me expectantly with wide, blinking eyes. My head was swimming at this point. Did Sakura really, truly want to be my friend? Why was she pushing so hard?

I wasn't exactly in the mood for a sleepover, either, considering my mind was still fixed on Naruto. I mean, he hadn't spoken a word to me since last night when he'd asked me to leave. He kept giving me these depressed, puppy dog stares all throughout the day, too, and yet he wouldn't look at me nor talk to me. What on Earth was his freaking deal?

"I don't know," I say, trying not to sound uncomfortable with the idea. "I'm sort of busy…"

"With what? A Friday night should be open to question." Sakura says with a hopeful smile.

I worry the collar of my shirt. "Well, I need to get started on Kurenai's project and, well, if I don't get started soon then-"

"No biggy," Sakura assures. "I already spoke with her. She says you and I can be partners," She beams at me. "We can work on it Friday night, if you want. To get a head start, I mean."

I stare at her in disbelief. Sakura had planned this entire thing out from start to finish. She'd…planned on me wanting to work on my project this weekend, and had made sure I'd be able to accomplish that…in her company. She really was a genius, and it was starting to freak me out.

"Come on," she says. "We can get some gossip in. You know, about Naruto," my stomach drops. "And Sasuke…and even that new girl." I blink. New girl? "You know, the one with silver hair? Have you met her yet?"

I stare into Sakura's questioning gaze as the image of the girl from Naruto's church flashes in my mind. What was her name again…?

"What's her name?" I ask.

"I don't know," Sakura says, and puts a finger to her lip as if to ponder. Suddenly, someone appears from behind her. They're about two and a half feet taller than her, and their dark eyes are fixed on the top of her head. Then he glances in my direction and I unconsciously take a step back. Sakura gives me an odd look. "What's wrong? Is it Karin?" she laughs at her own joke before turning around to see for herself. "Oh, Sasuke!"

"Hi Sakura," the raven haired boy says. His eyes linger back to me and I can feel myself inwardly shiver. I hoped I didn't look nearly as scared as I felt. He looked as if he wanted to massacre me. What had I possibly done?! "Hinata," he says, causing a shiver to run down my spine and the hairs on my neck and arms to stand up straight. "I see you're still here."

I swallow. "Why-why wouldn't I be?" I ask nervously. He narrows his gaze on me.

"Because I just saw Neji leave the school." He answers, causing me to inwardly deadpan.

Wait what!?

"He left?" I nearly shout. Sasuke nods.

"Are you okay, Hinata?" Sakura asks, worry etched onto her face. I don't say anything. How could he leave me again? That's twice this month! How could he be so darn forgetful? "Do you need a ride?"

My eyes flick back to hers. "Really?" I ask.

"Yup," she says with the nod of her head. "Sasuke gives me a ride home every day," she turns to him. "Wait, aren't you supposed to give Naruto a ride home today too?" she asks.

Naruto? What for? He had a car…

"Yes," Sasuke answers. "Now hurry before I pull a Neji and leave the two of you behind," Sasuke gives me a sharp look. "You live near Naruto, right?" I nod. "Okay."

When we arrive at Sasuke's black Mercedes, we find Naruto already waiting for the three of us, his back leaned against the passenger door and his legs crossed at the ankles. His eyes are closed and he looks deep in thought. This was going to be one awkward ride home.

"Hey dobe," Sasuke calls, causing Naruto's eyes to flutter open in a start. "Get in the back."

"What?" Naruto nearly whines. But then his eyes meet with mine and all of the color drains from his face. Without another words, he hops into the back and slams the door behind him.

"Hinata, get in the back." Sasuke orders while opening the passenger door for Sakura.

"Geez Sasuke," Sakura says. "You sound like you're taking the poor girl hostage."

In a way, he was.

I slide into the seat beside Naruto and buckle up, setting my bag between us. Naruto's gaze is focused on the gymnasium outside his window. Sakura turns around in her seat to scrutinize him. "Well say hello, idiot."

He pretends not to notice her, instead averting his gaze even further. "Quit being an ass, Naruto. What's your deal anyway?" Sasuke says while starting up the car. The blond grunts while crossing his arms over his chest. "Okay, we can all play that game, although I think the rest of us are a little old for it." With that, Sasuke pulls out of the school parking lot and starts down the road.

I keep my eyes on my lap, watching as my thighs giggle with the rhythm of the car, causing the self-conscious side of me to set my bag on my lap. Naruto notices this and turns to look at me, and for the first time today, he doesn't look away. I open my mouth to say something, but he cuts me off, wording silently with his lips, _I'm sorry. We need to talk._

My cheeks burn as I finally make a connection with the despondent Naruto. In the side view mirror, I can see Sakura grinning slyly at me, causing my blush to intensify. "So Hinata," she starts in a loud voice, causing Sasuke and me to cringe and Naruto to turn away. "About that sleepover…are we still on?"

Danggit, she had me. If I said no in front of Naruto and Sasuke, I'd look like a huge ass. And then Sasuke my beat my huge ass, considering he looked ready to do so in the hallway earlier. I swallow. "Um…" I think of the words to say, something that wouldn't really hint a no nor a yes, but all that comes out is, "What's our project topic?" to which Sakura beams ecstatically.

When we finally reach Naruto's and my apartment building, Sasuke parks the car with a grunt and turns on the radio to something I didn't expect him to listen to: classic jazz. He closes his eyes, and almost as if he can sense me staring at him, he says, "Go."

"You know," Sakura nearly sings as Naruto and I hope out of the car. "Sasuke and Naruto should come too, on Friday." My eyes nearly bug out of their sockets. Was she crazy, inviting two boys to a slumber party? "Not to sleepover, I mean," she clarifies in a dignified manner. "I mean, so the four of us can work on our projects."

"Naruto and I aren't partners." Sasuke says in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Really? Because I asked Kurenai, and she said that since the both of you have her class, even though you don't have her for the same period, you two can still work together. So I set it up for you." Naruto and Sasuke each break out into a sweat, neither looking as if they were enjoying where this conversation was going. And to be frank, I didn't like it either.

"So it's set then," Sakura says. "Friday after school, the four of us will all meet up at Sasuke's place-"

"Hey-"

"-and work on our projects until his brother kicks us out, and then Hinata and I will shift over to her house for the sleepover."

"My house?" I stutter. Didn't this girl have manners? I'd always imagined Sakura as a polite little goody-goody, but I never imagined _this._

"Hey," Sasuke interrupts, turning off his stereo. "I never agreed to this. What makes you think you can come on into my house without my permission?" he leans back in his chair and closes his eyes, seeming to cool down. "Besides, it would make more sense to just have the study date at Hinata's house and then have Naruto and me leave when it gets too late so you and Hinata won't have to relocate."

Sakura visibly brightens at the idea, to which Naruto and I throw mental daggers at Sasuke. He'd just fallen into her trap, and it wasn't even discreetly laid.

"I don't know if my house will be available." I say, trying to wiggle out of the situation. But Sakura doesn't buy it.

"No probs. Tenten and I are good friends; I'll talk to her." She grins widely before tapping Sasuke's leg. With that, the engine revs and the two of them are out of sight, leaving Naruto and I to gawk after them.

"How…" I start.

"Rude." Naruto finishes.

The two of us turn to each other, and slowly, grins form on either of our faces. Naruto steps closer to me and sets down his leather satchel bag. "Hinata, can I apologize?" he asks, keeping his chin low but his eyes steady on mine, creating a smoldering sensation in my chest. I swallow and open my mouth to answer _yes,_ when Naruto takes me into his arms and nearly squeezes the living daylights out of me.

"I'm so sorry," he says, the intensity in his voice sounding as if he'd left me for thirty years and had just returned. His voice is muffled by the side of my head as his lips part my hair and press against my temple. "I was so wrong for everything that I did."

"What…did you do? Other than ignore me, I mean." I say, nearly whisper. I was afraid that my voice would give way at any second, along with my knees.

"What did I…?" he pulls away, an astounded look on his face. "Hinata, seriously?" I blink, confused. He shakes his head in awe. "You're…incredible. You don't remember me turning around while you were changing?"My cheeks flush at the memory, and without saying anything, Naruto nods his head, as if reading my mind. "Now you remember." He says.

"Why did you avoid me?" I inquire. "Why did you kick me out? Why did you treat me…like everyone else does?"

Tears begin to prickle in the corners of my eyes, and I turn away, crumbling onto the curb beside the community garden as I had just realized we were in the middle of the road. Also, I didn't think I could stand any longer. Naruto follows, his hands gripping my elbows as he takes a seat beside me, body turned so he can face me. His gaze is so full of hurt that it makes the tears in my eyes, the small prickling, like raindrops, turn into a tsunami that cascades down my cheeks.

"I didn't mean to," he says softly. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was about to break down. And not in a dance, either. "I was avoiding you because…I was ashamed of myself. I mean, think about it Hinata. All that's happened between us so far is…my perverted thoughts causing something terrible to happen, always involving your chest."

Now that he mentioned it, he was absolutely right.

My cheeks burn as he stares me in the eyes, not backing down. "I was afraid you thought I was a perv, and that I only liked you for your boobs. But I don't! I like you for so much more!" his gaze lowers to my hands, and he takes them in his. My heart skips a beat as the thought of my sweaty hands clasped in his soft, warm ones sends an embarrassing humiliation through me. "I think you're beautiful, and sweet, and smart, and amazing. You're a saint."

I could feel that swimming being in my head again, as if a toddler had just flushed a toilet full of toys in my head. I retract one of my sweaty hands from Naruto's and place it on my forehead, feeling nauseas. "Hinata?" he says, concerned. I shake my head, a silent way of saying I was fine, but he doesn't seem to get the message and instead removes my hand to place his own on my forehead. "You don't have a fever." He comments.

"I…"

"Hinata…" Naruto licks his lips, causing tendrils of icy-hot flames to lick at the sides of my stomach. "I want to go to the get together on Friday. I also want to go to your cheer auditions on Friday." He smiles softly at me and pulls me in for another hug. I could feel myself literally melting in his arms as my cheek landed on his shoulder. My breathing became heavy as I breathed gulps of the humid September air into my system. Why was I feeling this way? Like a ghost had run through me fifty times, wearing hot coals for clothing. It was an odd feeling.

Naruto releases me then and smiles. "Come on, I'll walk you to your apartment."

I nod and follow after him into the air conditioned building, sighing as we stepped inside. Naruto leads me up a set of stairs while grasping my hand in his. I stare down at our intertwined hands as a new blush began crawling over my cheeks. Those elves seriously needed to stick to one certain light bulb because this cold and hot blushing wasn't working for me.

"So," I say, trying to keep my mind off of my panting. "Where were you this morning?"

He begins to answer, but I block him out as the memory of his words in the front of the apartment building rush back to my mind. He had called me beautiful…and smart…and a saint. What was he trying to say back there? Those are normally things you say before proposing…

"-and so we were drafting things and such." He finishes, drawing me back to the present. He turns, stopping in the middle of a hallway as I recognize as the one where my apartment was located. Why was I so out of it today?

He smiles and sucks in a deep breath. "Thanks Hinata, for being so forgiving when I was such an ass."

"It was nothing," I assure softly while staring down at my feet, to which Naruto chuckles. "Okay then," he says, and releases my hand. "I'll, um…I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay," I say, and watch as he makes his way for the stairs.

That was so…

Thrilling.

…

Naruto sprawls out along his bed, phone caressed between his neck and chin as he scarfs down a bowl of beef ramen. On the other end of the phone, the tinkle of laughter is heard. "Okay, okay," the girl says with another giggle. "Although I'm not sure why you're taking the name of a girl for the author's name."

"Amaya, if people knew it was me who was writing the advice column, my rep would be history."

"I guess so…" she says, and then laughs again. "I'm just happy Kakashi chose me to edit your work. If I had to work with someone else…I don't know what I'd do. You're the nicest person I've met yet."

"Hey, you're the best editor on the newspaper staff," Naruto says through a mouth full of noodles. "I wanted you and only you to edit my stuff. I mean, I don't want to look like an idiot out there. And also, if you wanna meet someone nice, just go talk to my friends."

"…Like who?" Amaya asks unsurely.

"Like Hinata," Naruto exclaims. "She's practically an angel. And Sakura's nice too, but she's a bit obnoxious…Ummm…" he takes a sip of broth. "Tenten's cool," he laughs. "Sorry, I don't have many girl friends."

"It's okay," she assures. "So did you tell Hinata about this? I mean, if you told me then you must have told her, right?"

Naruto sets down his ramen for a minute. "No," he says quietly, in a raspy voice. "I told her I got onto the newspaper staff and was helping to cover the sports section, but I didn't tell her about the advice column."

"Why not?"

"Because," he says with a sigh, and leans back against his wall. "She'd think I'm a loser. Besides, I already seem like a perv. Wouldn't pretending to be someone else while helping girls out with their social problems seem kind of like flirting?"

"Um no," she says with a laugh. "But are you two even dating?"

This time, Naruto doesn't answer. He finishes off the rest of his ramen and then throws it into the trashcan beside his bed. After a long pause of silence, Amaya starts again, trying for a shot at redemption. "So have you thought of a name yet?"

"For what?"

"For the column?"

"Oh…" Naruto ponders this, and then with a grin, claps his hands together.

"I've got it," he says. "Dear Chieko."

**A/N: **So that was a bit shorter than usual, but I wanted to fit in the Dear Chieko for those of you who really couldn't hold your pee any longer, and I also wanted Amaya to be in there since I forgot about her, kind of -_-" hehe… I know Sakura seemed like a butt, but I want her to be the annoying, nerdy girl who's also a sweet heart at, well, heart. Lol anyway, hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to comment :D


	9. Tryouts and Study Dates

Chapter Nine:

Tryouts and Study Dates

**A/N: **Hi guys! Thanks to all of the great reviews! I love you all very much, even those of you who critique me. But you know what? That's okay, because I need to be critiqued and I need to grin and bear it when you do decide to critique me. Anyway, here's chapter nine for you guys!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

It was Friday, the day where all of my nightmares turned into reality. Or in other words, Doomsday.

Hana had come over Thursday night to give me some tips and run through some basic rules. First, she'd said, was that I needed to stretch that before bed, even though normally you're not supposed stretch before bed, the next morning, and then the afternoon before my audition. She'd also shown me some basic moves and cheers, practicing them with me until both of our throats were raw and our arms felt as if they were made of gold.

She ran through the rudimentary do_s_ and don't_s _and then, finally, had ended with handing me a meal schedule with the foods I would need to eat and those that I needed to avoid. Right before she'd left, she'd turned and asked if I had anything to wear for the audition, something flexible and comfy. I'd looked her straight in the eye in a grin and had said "yes." Because I had the perfect outfit for the audition, although I wasn't sure if it would be a great idea to wear it.

I stare at the clock facing the wall behind me while chewing on my bottom lip nervously. Sakura kept passing me eager smiles from the right side of the classroom, nearly rubbing me like you would a steak. It wasn't that I didn't like Sakura, because honestly, I really felt that she and I could be best friends (other than Tenten, of course), but she just wouldn't stop with the grins and the notes and the excited run-on sentences that filled my ears in between classes. It made me stop to think if perhaps this was her first sleepover.

When the bell for the end of the day rings, I pack my things slowly, nearly wincing as Sakura rushes up to me. She pretends to wipe a droplet of sweat from her brow with an exhausted sigh. "Man, I thought this day would never end!" she exclaims.

"Me neither," I mumble while placing my calculator at the bottom of my bag. My fingertips glide over the soft material of the shirt I'd packed with me and a blush dusts my cheeks. It was coming. Soon, I'd have to try out for the cheer squad, and whether I liked it or not, I had to get in.

"So do you need a ride home? When are we gonna meet up? When should I tell Sasuke and Naruto to come to your place? Are we gonna need markers and stuff because I can run over to Staples really quickly and-"

I rise to my feet and place a hand to her should, cutting her off. "Sakura," I say with a tired smile. "Take a breath. Naruto's gonna give me a ride home since I have some things to do here…I'll tell him to come around six, okay? Can you tell Sasuke the same?" she nods. "Great. And actually, if you could drop by Staples to pick up some supplies, that would be nice. If you don't mind, I mean."

The pinkette places a hand to her brow in a salute and smiles at me. "No problem, captain," she says while waggling her eyebrows. "Sasuke and I will get there at six. Oh, and what will we have for dinner?"

I sigh. "Take out?" I suggest.

"Hmm…" she ponders, placing the tip of her glasses to her bottom lip. "Nah, I'll pick up something on my way there."

"Sakura, you don't have to-" I start, feeling sorry that she would be paying so much money for a sleepover that I was hosting. But she cuts me off by placing a finger to my lips.

"It's no problem." She says, and then grabs her navy blue leather bag. And then she's gone, the tinkle of the bunny charm clipped to her bag the only sound I hear.

"Whatcha staring at?" Naruto asks, causing me to start. I turn to him, my heart beating erratically against my chest.

"Nothing," I say, and hike my bag over my shoulder. "Are you sure you wanna watch me?" I ask, a bit nervously. To tell the truth, I really didn't want Naruto watching me try out. I mean, what if I made a fool of myself?

"Actually, I have somewhere to be while you're at your auditions," he says sheepishly. My eyes widen in surprise. Maybe the fates were on my side today. "But don't worry, I'll be back in time to get you, okay?" I nod, and then he takes my hand and pulls me into him. My jaw pops open in shock. Everyone had to be looking at us!

He pulls me into a quick embrace while saying, "You'll do great, Hinata. Knock 'em dead. Especially Karin." He pulls away to give me a wink before turning for the doors. I watch after him, unblinking, until the slam of the doors jerks me out of my state. I glance around the room quickly to see if anyone had been watching to find only a couple of eyes on me. My cheeks redden and I make haste for the door, heading to the bathroom to change.

…

The gym is quiet as I make my way toward the dark stained bleachers, clad in my black yoga pants and the shirt I had borrowed from Naruto Monday afternoon when I'd spilled ramen broth on me, before I'd been kicked out. My fingers trace the outline of the kitten on the front as I set my bag down on one of the seats. I hoped I didn't have sweat stains already; I was so nervous that I really wouldn't doubt it if I did.

I make my way for the center of the gym, the tennis shoes Hana had lent me squeaking rudely in the quietness. I begin my stretching, starting with fifty jumping jacks and then moving to squats and toe touches. I crack my back and roll my neck, feeling the tingling sensation running through my body as the nervousness began to dissolve, washed away with the beads of sweat running down my temples and arms.

After stretches, I practice breathing exercise and some yoga, figuring that I still had a good ten minutes before the squad showed up. Halfway in between my yoga, I take a minute to chant some of the cheers I'd learned last night under my breath while closing my eyes and imagining the moves in my head. I was finally feeling comfortable, as if I'd peeled off my skin and had replaced it with someone else's, someone who wasn't shy or afraid of what others thought of her.

I pull my hair into a ponytail at the top of my head and tuck any flyaways behind my ears, hands placed on my hips. I was completely ready for this audition. I was ready to make Hana proud.

Suddenly, the faint sound of clapping is heard from the side of the gym where I'd left my stuff. My head whips in that general direction to find the Queen of the Bees herself, Karin, sitting with one leg crossed over the other, watching me with an intense expression. Beside her is Kin, who is frowning, her arms crossed over her chest.

My shyness returns then, and a blush tints my cheeks. Had they been watching the entire time? From the corner of my eye, I can see two figures coming toward me. I turn to see Ino and Hana, the brunette grinning encouragingly at me. Ino watches me with a stolid expression. "That was really great," Hana says quietly. Ino turns to her with furrowed eyebrows.

"Thanks," I say, and turn back to Karin, who was already making her way towards me. She'd stopped clapping by now, and Kin was trailing after her like an obedient puppy. Karin's hair is down in pigtails on either side of her head, hanging low. It actually looked kind of cute on her. Her dark, thick rimmed glasses had been tucked into her shirt pocket, as I'd seen Sakura do many times.

"That was a great warm up," she says once she's reached me. She narrows her gaze. "I'm interested in seeing what you've got." I nod, to which she snaps her fingers. Two girls, Matsuri and Fuka, appear, dragging a large blue mat with them. Fuka's eyes are downcast, and she looks as if she's biting her tongue. Matsuri looks scared, as if she knew something bad was going to happen.

Karin starts back for the bleachers, but Kin stays, along with Ino and Hana. "We're just going to stand here, in case you need us."

I nod, although I didn't exactly understand. I wasn't going to be doing any flips or anything, right?

Karin takes a seat and crosses her legs again, placing her glasses back on. Fuka and Matsuri position the mat in the center of the gym, and then motion for me to take my place in the center of the mat. I swallow as my anxiety comes flying back down my throat and into my heart. I didn't think I could do this. That one connection I'd had two minutes ago was something I didn't think I could ever have again, unless I was alone.

Hana taps my arm, to which I turn around in time to watch as her fingers fly up to my forehead to flick me. I blink, staring into her soft amber eyes. "You'll do fine," she says with a smile. "So quit worrying."

And then she takes a step off of the mat, along with the others, forming a square around me, each girl taking a corner. Kin stands off to the side, holding a boom box. "What's that for?" I ask while motioning towards the radio.

"It's part of the test," Karin shouts. "You'll need to improvise. Start using the moves you know to create a nice routine that fits the music. You'll get a minute or so to adjust to the song and come up with something, but your feet have got to be moving within twenty seconds of the start of the song."

Hana hadn't mentioned that! I turn to glance at her over my shoulder, but she gives me a thumbs up, as if she knows her training will somehow help me with all of this. Maybe some of it, yeah, but the dance routine? Why hadn't she informed me of that?!

"Here we go," Karin calls. "I wanna see you cheering. Give me a good cheer. Come on!"

I close my eyes and tilt my head down to clear my thoughts. The moves Hana taught me last night spring forth from the recesses of my mind and I choose the one I feel suites my favorite cheer best. I beginning clapping and swaying my hips, as if dancing to a rhythm. Then I open my mouth and the words come out in a loud, clear voice I'd never heard myself use. My voice reverberated throughout the gym, echoing off of the walls with a clean, velvety sound.

"Let's…get...a little bit rowdy!" I shout while swaying back and forth. My clapping turns to silent punches as I clench my hands into fists and pump them over my head, one by one as I spell out the letters for the word _rowdy_. In between the letters _w_ and _d, _I clap, and then resume my rioting position.

I turn to my side, my feet moving in circles and different patterns as my voice gets louder, and I can almost see the geometric shapes light up on the floor where I've walked. I clap, stomp, snap, and dance my way through several cheers, feeling a cold sweat run down my skin. I begin to take it to another level by cartwheeling and doing handsprings, my voice only slightly quaking while under the pressure and movements.

Finally, I use my last cheer that Hana had taught me, _hot to go, _and begin using my own moves, ones that Hana hadn't shown me. I lift my leg into the air, catching it with my hands behind my head, and then lower myself to the floor where my toe touches the mat. I can hear some of the cheer members gasping as I stand upright, my face flushed as I throw my arms over my head and jump high, shouting at the top of my lungs.

I stand slightly to the edge of the mat, my chest heavy as I try to catch my breath. Everyone is silent as I fill the gym with the noises of my breathing. I wipe the sweat from my forehead and crouch down to give my legs a rest. Someone hands me a water bottle from my left, and when I look up, I find Ino, staring down at me with a halfhearted smile.

Karin rises to her feet then and snaps her fingers again, signaling for Kin to press the _play_ button on the radio. I didn't know whether Karin wanted me to fail and was trying to speed things up so that I would trip on my own feet or if that wasn't good enough for her, but it wasn't going to faze me. I was back in the zone, whether I believed it or not, and I actually was starting to enjoy it.

The music fills the gym with a dull, soft sound which makes my ears feel heavy. I strain to hear the lyrics but find there are none. It was somewhat of a lullaby. "Karin," Hana shouts from across the gym. "You can't play something so soft! She's a beginner!"

Karin hushes her with a single glare, to which I swallow. If something this soft was for someone above a beginner, did that mean I was going to fail? I couldn't let Hana down, though. Not after everything she'd done for me.

I lick my lips and toss the water bottle to Ino, who catches it with raised eyebrows. Then I take a moment to get the rhythm into my head. My body begins moving on its own, as if it were drawn to the hushed whispers of the violin. I was making my routine into somewhat of a dance, but I didn't care. Who said cheerleading was about staccato claps and stomps? Why couldn't it be a dance?

My legs move of their own accord, my toes pointing as I bend one knee and trace my left leg in a circle around myself. My arms rise over my head and behind me, my chest puffing out as I bend backwards, my torso slanted as I circle around and around. My arms finally, on the fifth syllable, rise above me once again and my body begins to erect, ever so slowly.

I place one foot flat on the floor while bending my knee, my other leg sliding straight to my right, toes pointed, the pad of my shoe whispering against the floor as I begin to transition from my previous form to my next.

I bend my torso to the left, opposite my outstretched leg, and place my hands flat on the ground beside my bent knee. Then I begin to lift myself from the floor, my legs rising above my head in a handstand. I walk on my hands slowly, gracefully, in time with the music until the bridge comes and I lower myself back onto my feet.

As I raise my arms back over my head, the sudden sound of a click causes me to start and my eyes to flutter open. I hadn't realized they'd been shut. I turn my attention toward the radio that had just been shut off, one coral pink nail pressing down on the _stop_ button. I take in a breath and stand upright as Karin inspects me.

"You think you're pretty good, don't you?" she says, almost through gritted teeth, but somewhere between those words, her teeth opened to make the sound clearer. Her eyes trail up and down my figure. "Wow, for someone so _curvy_, you sure are flexible."

She hadn't meant that as a compliment. By curvy, she meant fat.

The tears well up in my eyes as her snarl turns into a smile, obviously pleased with herself. "Okay," she says "You did a pretty good job with everything. Your performance at the end was a bit dull but…" I wince. I was actually really proud of that last-minute dance routine. "Okay. You start tomorrow. Practice is at ten in the morning. You'll receive your uniform then, so don't come wearing _that_," She grimaces at my shirt before turning to the others. "Okay, let's go." She says.

The others begin trailing after her, except Ino and Hana who stay behind a while longer. I turn to them with furrowed eyebrows. Hana I could understand staying, but Ino? Hana gives me a wide grin. "That was great, Hinata!" she exclaims while running up to hug me. "You did absolutely superb!"

"Thanks," I say with a blush.

Ino steps forward then with a small smile. She offers me my water bottle, which I accept. Our eyes lock. "That was really awesome," she says quietly. "You're really amazing. No one on this squad could ever attempt those moves," My eyebrows rise, along with Hana's. "So don't listen to Karin. She's just jealous."

She bends down and grabs a corner of the mat, her eyes rising to meet with Hana's in a silent inquiry for help. Hana ruffles the top of my head before bending down to help Ino. "Good job," she says before lifting the mat half a foot off of the floor. "Hey," she nods her head in the direction of the door. "I think you have a fan." She grins as a blanket of red stains my cheeks.

I turn around to find Naruto standing by the gym doors, his arms crossed loosely over his torso, a proud smile on his face. I jog over to the bleachers to grab my stuff before heading to meet Naruto at the doors. At the last second, I turn to wave to Hana and Ino but they're already gone. I bump into Naruto while turning back around, causing my brain to rattle in my head.

I wince as Naruto steadies me with his hands. He grips my elbows while staring down at me. "Hinata," he says. I glance up, finding myself weaker than I thought possible as my knees begin to shake. His eyes were so…beautiful as they stared down at me, awe circling around the pupils. "That was amazing."

I blush even deeper. "You saw that?" I ask timidly.

"Yes, and I'm so glad I did," He says. "Your body is so-" he stops, a blush dusting his cheeks. "Flexible." He finishes with a whisper.

"Thanks," I say, my voice hoarse. Naruto clears his throat before taking my bag from my grip and throwing it over his shoulder.

"Come on," he says. "You must be tired. Wanna massage?"

My eyes widen as a shiver runs up and down my arms. And then, for the first time, Naruto's eyes travel down to my chest. I almost have to bite back a bark when I realize that his eyes weren't staring at my_ chest_. They were staring at my shirt. _His_ shirt.

"Oh," I say, but can't finish because Naruto is laughing so hard that his face begins to turn red. But then again, perhaps his face was red from blushing…? Or was I the only one who did that? "Naruto?" I say.

"You're wearing that?" he asks in a breathy voice. I avert my gaze to the polished wood floor. He clears his throat once more before taking my sweaty hand in his cool one. Why did he grab my hand at all of the wrong times? He'd start thinking that I had naturally sweaty hands if he didn't quit! Or if I didn't start wiping them more often… "Never mind," he says with a warm smile. "It looks better on you than me. Keep it."

"What? NO!" I nearly shout, surprising Naruto. "I mean, it was a present. I can't take it from you."

Naruto laughs again. "Fine, then you can borrow it whenever you want. How about that?"

How about that? Didn't girls wear their boyfriend's jacket whenever they pleased? So then…wasn't this sort of like that? Didn't that make it look like we were…?

Dating?

…

I had made sure Tenten, Neji, and Hanabi wouldn't be home tonight so that Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and I could have the place to ourselves. Hanabi was easy getting out of the house; I mentioned a movie premiere for tonight and she was hooked. Tenten and Neji, well, they took some more persuading. Or rather, more money.

I'd gotten them a reservation for a fancy restaurant for tonight, all on me. I wasn't even sure how much money I had saved up but it was well worth it. Sakura had told Tenten that she would be sleeping over, but neither she nor Neji knew of Sasuke and Naruto's visiting. The two would be out of the apartment long before Tenten and Neji got home, and if that hotel reservation I'd slipped into Neji's wallet appeared, then perhaps we wouldn't have to worry about that.

I sigh while taking a seat on the couch beside Naruto. He and I had come straight to my place after school, and I'd left him in the living room to watch TV while I retired to the bathroom to wash up and change. Now I was wearing a pair of jean shorts with knee-high navy and purple stockings and a dark purple sweater that had flower prints on it. My hair was down in two braids on either side of my head and my bangs were still a bit damp.

"You smell good." Naruto comments quietly from beside me.

There it was again. The feeling as if someone had poured hot lava into my stomach. Why did Naruto have to say such things that made me squirm and sweat?

I whisper my thanks before bringing my knees to my chin and leaning over to hug my calves. Naruto glances at me while reaching over me for the remote. He shuts off the TV and as the silence settles in, he places his gaze on mine. "Hinata," he starts slowly. "You look lovely."

My eyes widen at his statement, and he turns away quickly, the warmth from his body emanating onto my own skin. "I…" I can't say anything coherent. I never could. He made me so flustered, so confused. I never knew what to say, and whenever I had some sort of clue, it always turned out to be wrong and to cause some sort of awkwardness between us.

"Do you, uh…do you remember Monday night? When…I was telling you something…right before you spilled your ramen?"

"Yes," I say, remembering the sadness in his eyes at that moment. It was the reason she had spilled her ramen, after all. How could she forget?

"Well, about that…" he rubs his arm nervously. "I never got a chance to tell you. I kicked you out so fast that-"

"Wait, what are you talking about?" I inquire. "You already told me. Remember? About your mom…?"

Naruto blinks. "My mom…?" he repeats.

"Yeah, and her liking ramen."

Naruto's eyes widen, and before either of us can say anything else, the door swings open and in waltzes Sakura, her arms full with bags. Behind her, Sasuke carries two bags of takeout and Sakura's personal bag filled with her things for the sleepover.

"Hey guys," Sakura nearly shouts while dropping all of the plastic bags onto the living room floor. She's wearing jean overalls-the kind with shorts, not pants-and a pink sweatshirt underneath. Her hair is in two ponytails at either side of her face, the same hairdo Karin had worn today. Sasuke places his three bags down gently before closing the door behind him.

"Hi," I say while waving. Naruto lifts a hand in acknowledgment but nothing more. He's frowning, eyes downcast.

Sakura clears her throat. "A little help?" she asks. Naruto and I rise from the couch and we each take a bag, leaving Sakura with two. "Okay, I got two posters, markers, stencils, and these cool tab things." She lowers herself to her knees while rummaging through the bags.

Sasuke places the takeout on the kitchen counter and then throws Sakura's bag onto the couch. "Hey, careful with that! I have special womanly things in there!" the pinkette shouts. Naruto and I grin at this, and Sasuke shrugs.

"What are we doing first?" I ask while setting all of the bags to the side.

"FOOD!" both Sakura and Naruto shout in unison. Sasuke and I share a smile, albeit his was a little on the small side, but finally, I felt as if he and I had connected. And I felt maybe twenty percent safer in the fact that he may not kill me at any second.

Sakura pulls out the food and we all take a bowl, settling ourselves down in front of the TV. "Movie first, project later." Sakura says while reaching for the remote, her mouth full of noodles. I catch Sasuke's eyes twinkle as he watches her, amused. She turns the channels until finally she finds a movie she deems worthy.

…

After the movie, Sakura and I get started on our projects while Naruto and Sasuke leave the room for a moment to, as they said, "talk." Sakura was stenciling in the title of our project in loose, flowery letters at the top of our poster board as I rummaged through the notes I'd taken on our topic.

Naruto and Sasuke enter the living room again, and the two of them make themselves comfortable on the carpet beside Sakura and me. Sasuke grabs their poster and markers while Naruto plays with the strings of his hoodie. "Are you okay, Naruto?" I ask softly, my gaze focused on the markers in my hands.

"Yeah," he says, and then grabs some markers from Sasuke. "I'll start on the title." He says to him. The dark haired boy turns for his bag, grabbing his notebook. Naruto stares down at the poster board, his eyes glazing over as the marker in his hand begins to dry out.

Sakura and I share a look but no one says another word. Not until thirty minutes later when Sakura crawls to her feet to grab some hot chocolate from the cupboards. Sasuke decides to go in to help her, eyeing me as he leaves, which leaves Naruto and I by ourselves, coloring in small cartoon-like pictures and relaying data.

Finally, Naruto says something.

"I wanna talk to you."

"Shoot," I respond, which was completely unlike me but for some reason, I was feeling bored and somewhat angry. Naruto glances at me for a brief second before shaking his head.

"Not here. In your room."

I raise my eyebrows. "My room?" I repeat. "Why?"

He shrugs. "We've got a couple of eavesdroppers, is all."

Sakura and Sasuke tense at this, and then begin to talking softly, as if they were never listening at all. I shake my head. "Okay," I say, and follow him down the hall. As we walk, the sound of Sakura and Sasuke's voices fade. We enter my room and he closes the door behind us.

"Am I rotten?" he asks as soon as the lock clicks.

"Umm…" Was he…rotten? What did that mean and where had that come from?

He groans. "I knew it!" he walks forward and grabs my elbows, something I was beginning to notice he did quite often. "I'm so sorry, Hinata! I keep shutting you out and…and…I'm a rotten jerk."

Oh. That was what he meant.

"No you're not," I argue. "You're not rotten. Why would you think that?"

"Because I'm sucky." He says.

Yeah, that helped.

"Naruto, I don't know why you keep going on like this. It's like you're having mood swings or something. Are you on your period?"

I try cracking a smile to see if he does but to no avail. Some people just didn't get comedy.

"Hinata… remember what I was telling you earlier, before Sakura and Sasuke came?"

"Yeah," I say.

He takes a breath. "Well, I wasn't talking about the story I'd told you, about my mom and all."

"Oh…then what were you talking about?"

"I…was talking about…" he groans, running his fingers through his hair. "Okay, remember during the fire drill when I said I needed to tell you something over dinner?" My eyes widen. I'd completely forgotten about that! "Yeah," says, nodding. "Okay, well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay," I say, and take a seat on the edge of my bed.

"Okay, well, I'm not gonna beat around the bush so…here it goes…" he closes his eyes and blurts out his next words.

"Will you go out with me?"

**A/N: **Was that okay? I hope so because I feel like it wasn't. Anyway, that was my longest chappie (5,000 words whereas most of my chappies are 4,500 or so.) PLEASE comment and tell me what you think! I want to know what ALL of you think!


	10. Boyfriends and Secrets

Chapter Ten:

Boyfriends and Secrets

**A/N: **Hi guys :) Do you appreciate it that I've been updating quickly? Haha well if you don't, it's okay, because I really enjoy writing this and I REALLY enjoyed all of the comments. So, I did listen to whatever complaints there were and tried to fix them. This is why I need to know what you think. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy what you've all been waiting for! ;D

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

My entire body could have been engulfed in flames at that very moment. It felt as if my bitterness, all of the coldness I'd felt had entirely melted, making me a hot, sweaty mess. Underneath my sweater, my skin was searing with a somewhat cold sweat. I had to wipe my palms on my jean shorts about three times before their wetness level reduced from mega sweaty to damp.

Naruto's eyes were downcast as he fiddled with the collar of his shirt, his free hand reaching behind his head to rub the nape of his neck, and then moving along the outline of his jaw, rubbing at his skin nervously, creating red marks wherever his skin touched. His feet shifted every three seconds.

"Will you go out with me?"

His words lingered at the very entrance of my ears, almost dancing along the skin of my ear, creating a tingling feeling that I was sure I was just imagining. Could this explain everything that had happened? The kiss, the dinner, the accidental chest-looking, and even his grouchiness once Sakura and Sasuke had arrived earlier? Had he been working up the nerve to ask me out all this time? How long had he actually liked me?

"Come on!" Naruto nearly groans, snapping me out of my thoughts. Our eyes lock, a wide, stormy sea against a pair of innocent, confused doe eyes. He looked distraught, maybe even more than I. "At least say something, _anything_. Please, just don't sit there watching me…Just tell me," he comes closer, kneeling before me. "Tell me if you like me back. Tell me if you wanna be with me, and if you don't then…just spit it out! Please, I'm dying over here!"

I stare at him, wide eyed. Everything about him-the sweat on his brow, the way the very tips of his blond hair matted against his light copper forehead, contrasting well, like biscuits and honey, and even the way his neck glistened with a bit of sweat whenever he was nervous-made me hot everywhere, and made me feel like a burning house. Everyone part of me was on fire, and I had to say, I almost liked it. Though I prayed Naruto wouldn't take my hand again, because I was sweating even more than usual. How could he like that?

His eyes rake across my entire form, not in a perverted way, but in a way that says in his eyes that he wants to protect me, every bit of me. His eyes stare at my bare knees, and with the swipe of his palms on his school pants, he places his hands on my bare skin and leans in, applying pressure to my thighs. Our noses nearly touch, and even with him on the ground, our heights are matched. "Say something." He pleads softly. His breath whispers across my lips.

And, as if in response to that tiny bit of tingling across my lips, I open my mouth and murmur, "My God, yes."

And before neither of us knows what we're doing, he cups one of my cheeks with one sweaty hand, and I'm almost thankful that his palms are as sweaty as mine. Then he closes the distance between us and plants his lips softly against mine.

And if I thought that the tingling on my lips when he'd breathed on me was anything, I was very badly mistaken because the tingling I now felt was a million times hotter, a million times sharper, and a _billion_ times better.

Naruto releases me to murmur against my chin, "Let's make that our first kiss instead."

I smile, feeling the tip of his nose brush against my bottom lip. "Agreed," I say before wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my forehead against his shoulder. "Can I tell you something, Naruto?" I ask after a moment of listening to my breathing.

"Anything," he says while placing both of his hands on the small of my back protectively.

"I um…I get really hot when I'm around you." I admit.

Naruto laughs, shaking me as well as himself. "No problem, Hinata, you make me feel the same way. I mean, do you feel how sticky I am?"

"I thought that was me." I say while cracking a smile. Naruto laughs again, but more softly, and then presses the top of his head against my ear. I can smell the shampoo on the feathers of hair that sprout forth from the nape of his neck to tickle my cheek. They smelled somewhat like green tea and flowers.

Just then, the sound of a soft rapping on the door causes Naruto and I to erect, Naruto crawling backwards, further from me as the door opens to reveal Sakura and Sasuke, each holding two mugs of hot chocolate. Sakura comes to sit beside me on my bed, then hands me a mug. "Thanks," I say, and take a sip. Naruto reaches out for his mug, taking it carefully from Sasuke who seats himself beside the blond on the floor.

"What's going on in here?" Sakura asks slowly. It was the first time I'd heard her speak so…normally.

"Nothing," I say quickly, a blush lighting up my features. Both Sasuke and Sakura turn to Naruto who just sticks his nose in his hot chocolate, feigning ignorance.

"So you finally popped the question, eh?" Sasuke says in a sly manner, causing my head to whip up. I'd never heard him speak so casually. I think the questions being asked should have been what had happened in _there_ with _them_?

Naruto's cheeks redden as he lifts his mug in the air, tilting his head back to chug the brown liquid. "I thought so," Sakura says with a grin. "Glad you finally did, too, or else this would have been one awkward night," without even taking a second to breathe, Sakura rises to her feet while spewing a bunch of excited questions.

"This is such a nice room! Is the color periwinkle or lavender?" she turns to me with a sharp eye. "There _is_ a difference, you know. Oh, what's that? I didn't know you had a lap top. Is there a bathroom in here too? I always wanted to have a bathroom in my room. Hey, what's this? How much clothes do you have?" she opens the closet door to reveal three school uniforms, two pairs of jeans, a couple of skirts, three dresses, and a rack of shoes. Her eyes gleam as she crawls to the floor to try on pairs of shoes.

I turn back to the other two, who seemed much more serene compared to the pinkette in the corner of the room. I let out a sigh while finishing off the rest of my hot cocoa. "So…how about we finish our projects and then go home." Sasuke suggests.

"What?" Naruto nearly slams his mug down on my carpet, causing my heart to flutter in fear of it spilling. "We can't leave that soon! It's only…" he slips his phone from his pocket and checks the time, oblivious to the glowing alarm clock beside my bed. "It's only seven thirty! Come on, Sasuke, don't be a party pooper! We can stay 'til ten, right Hinata?"

I nod, not sure of what else to do. I wanted Naruto to stay, but perhaps having him stay late was a bad idea. Now that we were going out and all… My cheeks redden at the thought and I turn my attention toward my lap to try and hide my face.

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "You just wanna spend time with your girlfriend."

Naruto puffs out his cheeks like a stubborn kid while crossing his arms over his chest. "Nuh-uh…! Okay fine, yeah."

Sakura giggles as she lifts up a leg to reveal her right foot clad in a golden high heel with black flowery lace blanketing the shimmering gold. "These are so cute," she exclaims while ogling the shoe. "Hinata, why don't you ever wear these?"

"Because only Karin is bold enough to wear high heels to school…" I say slowly, blushing. Naruto turns to me with a far off expression.

"Whatever, I mean anywhere other than at school!"

"I don't go anywhere else," I say. "No life, remember?"

Naruto rises to his feet then, and takes my hand. "Come on, we're wasting time. We only have until ten, remember?" he grins down at me, and then pulls me to my feet.

Dating Naruto had always been a dream of mine, and now that it had become reality, I knew that I needed to keep this reality in check. That meant I couldn't screw this up. I had to be on my best behavior, and I most certainly could not be a drag. I had to keep him. I had to have him.

I just couldn't live without him.

…

My eyes flutter open at the sound of shrill screaming, and then laughter. I sit straight up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I focus my attention on the TV. There were three girls splashing around in the lake, laughing and shrieking as the water sprayed their skin with cool relief. I run a hand through my soft, cool hair realizing that my braids weren't in. My brows furrow together, and finally I begin to remember the happenings of last night. Or…perhaps only hours ago. What time was it?

I turn to the clock of the kitchen microwave to find it read 3:00 in large, green numbers. My eyes widen as the memories from last night begin rushing back to me. We'd finished our projects and were putting everything away, the time only being nine. Naruto suggested another movie, so as Sakura lunged for the remote, Sasuke and I left to make popcorn.

She's picked out Avatar: the Last Airbender. Honestly, the movie was a hoax. The show was so much better, and they didn't even pronounce the names right, but once Sakura had the remote, there was no debating. Sakura and Sasuke took the floor while Naruto and I took the love seat. Sakura held the bowl of popcorn in her lap, only asking if anyone else wanted some when it was nearly empty, which resulted in her and Sasuke having to make some more, the pinkette looking rather sheepish as Sasuke gave her an exasperated look.

Naruto had turned to me with a soft expression. After a moment of just watching me, he'd taken out my braids and had run his fingers through my hair. It had felt so nice that I'd asked if he'd brush my hair for me. So as Sasuke and Sasuke sat on the floor, stuffing themselves with popcorn, I had been lying my head across Naruto's lap, feeling the heat from each of our bodies mingle as Naruto ran his fingers through my hair, lulling me to sleep.

So I'd fallen asleep! On Naruto's lap… Oh my gosh.

I crane my neck to the right to find Naruto's head resting against the back of the couch, slack jawed as a soft snore filtered from his lips. I smile at the sight and then turn my attention toward the two on the floor. Sakura was curled into a ball, her head at Sasuke's feet as the dark haired boy rested his head in the nook Naruto had made with his knees. I have to bite my bottom lip to keep myself from bursting into laughter.

It looked as if no one had come in while the four of us were asleep, which meant that Neji had seen my little gift. But I really had to get these two out of my house or else when Neji and Tenten showed up, or even loud-mouth Hanabi, I wouldn't be in deep shit.

When I press my cheek back against Naruto's thigh, though, all thoughts of kicking the two of them out completely vanish from my mind. How could I kick Naruto out when we has so…comfortable? He looked like a small child, or an animal, even. He looked so at peace, and not to mention his lap was extremely warm and comfy.

I resist the urge to fall back asleep and instead press a palm to Naruto's chest. His eyelids shiver before opening slightly to reveal a hazy blue mist. He mumbles something incoherent before slowly looking down at me. I smile softly, to which he returns. "Naruto," I whisper. "It's three in the morning. We fell asleep."

"Then go back to sleep," he mumbles while encircling his arms around my torso and pulling me into his chest so that my cheek is resting against his collar bone and my rear end rests on his lap. My cheeks redden tenfold and I begin to stutter, "No-no, Naruto, you and S-Sasuke n-need to leave."

My presses his cheek to the top of my head and lets out a tired yawn. "I'm too tired," he says, and then smiles against my hair. "You smell good."

I didn't know what to do. I knew something like this would happen if they stayed over. But wait… I told myself I couldn't be a drag. If I was a drag, he might dump me. So then maybe I should let him stay…?

Naruto's grip around me tightens so that our bodies are pressed tightly against each other. I could hardly breathe, but in a way, I also liked the light-headedness. Just as I was beginning to relax, though, Sasuke's voice causes Naruto and me to stiffen. I was sure he was awake now.

"Guys, get up. It's three in the morning." He says.

No kidding.

Sakura rises into a sitting position as she lifts her arms over her head to stretch. One of her hair ties had fallen out and she had some honey from the popcorn glistening in the corner of her mouth. Sasuke realizes his position between Naruto's knees and shoots forward, an embarrassed look on his face, as if his pride had been stomped on.

"Guys, you should go home now." I say, turning to Naruto to catch his expression. He looks somewhat disappointed, but then again, he was also on the verge of laughing from Sasuke's earlier position.

"Yeah," Sakura agrees. "Man, that wasn't as fun a sleepover as I thought. And all that stuff I brought over for the two of us, Hinata, has gone to waste!" she sticks out her bottom lip in a small pout while wrapping her arms around her torso.

Sasuke rises to his feet while grabbing his and Naruto's poster. "Come on, dobe," he says. "Let's go. I'll walk you to your room."

Naruto lets out a disappointed huff as he releases me from his grip. "Thanks, sweetheart." He retorts sourly while waiting for me to crawl off of him. Sakura and I stand beside each other, shivering slightly in the cold of the night despite the temperature of the apartment. Naruto slips on his shoes, along with Sasuke, before turning back towards me and planting a kiss to the top of my head. "I'll see you in school." He says before following Sasuke out the door.

I turn to Sakura, who grins. "Midnight snacks…?" she says, causing me to roll my eyes with a small laugh.

"Geez, do they starve you at home?" I ask while heading for the kitchen. "I'm surprised at how skinny you are, considering how much I've seen you eat." She shrugs while opening the fridge.

"I don't know, I guess it's my metabolism." She says while reaching for the leftover pizza from Monday. "Mmm this looks good. I haven't had pizza in a long time."

"Wanna trade metabolisms?" I ask while grabbing two clean mugs to pour some coffee.

"Definitely," Sakura says while heating up the pizza in the microwave. She turns to me, arms wrapping around her torso again. "I'd kill for a body like yours."

I roll my eyes while pouring the coffee into our mugs. "Yeah right; being skinny is so much better." She doesn't say anything to that, but instead says with a wide smile:

"How about turning that coffee into a caramel frappe?"

I mimic her expression. "I'm way ahead of you."

"You know what?" I turn to her, arm outstretched for the caramel sauce. "This is the most fun I've ever had. Thanks for being my friend, Hinata. I don't know what I'd do if you hadn't been so nice to me."

I smile softly. "Same here, Sakura. You're a truly great friend."

And I wasn't lying.

…

Sakura and I had stayed up watching more movies, reading the magazines she'd brought with her, and talking about boys, especially Naruto. He'd even played truth or truth, eliminating the dare element because neither of us was up for it. Then at around seven in the morning, she'd packed her things and had headed out. She said she'd texted Sasuke to come pick her up and that she knew he would, which gave me a curious little inkling that perhaps she and Sasuke had a thing. But I didn't know for sure.

Once Sakura left, I decided it was time to get my act together. I had cheer practice, and I needed to freshen up and tidy up. I started by cleaning the living room, placing the three dirtied bowls-now sticky with honey-into the sink and let them soak while throwing away any trash left on the floor. Then I stuck all of the bags containing the supplies for our projects into the coat closet and made my way toward the kitchen to eat breakfast.

When my eyes land on the sheet of paper clipped to the refrigerator with a magnet, my heart stutters. It was the sheet of do_s_ and don't_s _and eating regulations. Pretty much, I'd broken all of them last night. My eyes trail down to the breakfast suggestions at the bottom of the page and linger on the one that says: Banana smoothie and egg on whole wheat.

Decisions, decisions.

Once I'd eaten breakfast and had taken a nap, setting my alarm clock for nine so that I' have an hour to get ready, I hopped into the shower and made myself presentable. I decided to wear a pair of sweats and a purple tee that had a butterfly print on the front. I tied my hair into a pony tail at the top of my head, braiding the wet hair that flowed from the hair tie, and then laced up the shoes Hana had let me borrowed. It was nine fifty when I was all ready to go.

And that's when it hit me. The realization rushed towards me like a wave, knocking me down onto the couch. I didn't have a ride! How could I have been so stupid as to send Neji off? And with his car!

There was only one thing left to do, and I _hated_ to do it.

But I needed a ride and, well, what were boyfriends for?

…

Naruto was dressed in a pair of sweats that hung loosely around his hips, a pair of orange and black boxers peeping out from underneath the waistband, and a black tee, his hair disheveled and his eyes just slits when he opened the door for me.

I smile sheepishly at him.

"Hey, um…I need a ride to cheer practice." I say, inwardly wincing at his bemused expression.

"A ride…? OH, cheer practice. Yeah, um, lemme grab my keys."

"Thanks, Naruto," I call after him. "I mean, I know this is really short notice and you were probably asleep so…" he comes back, shrugging on a light jacket, and then shuts the door. "Thanks." I finish.

"No problem," he says with a smile, finally awake. "Now come on or you'll be late."

Late? What time was it? I turn to my cell phone for an answer to find it was four minutes until ten. "Oh my gosh, Naruto, I have four minutes to get there!" I almost shout. He turns to me, eyebrows rising. There was no telling what Karin would do to me if I was late!

Naruto grabs my wrist and pulls me down the stairs, nearly flinging the two of us forward. I smile to myself as we race down the stairs, hand in hand, flustered and anxious.

Ah, young love.

…

I run into the gym panting, doubling over just as the clock over my head strikes ten. Karin claps from where she stands by the bleachers. "Punctual," she says, almost spitting it. I was really getting tired of her clapping. I wasn't a show monkey or anything. "Get over here, Shyguy," she says. "I have your uniform."

I quickly cross the gym to where she stands, holding out a plastic wrapped set of clothes. I watch as she holds it out to me in a taunting way. "Get changed," she says while dropping it into my arms. "You have five minutes."

…

I felt like a part of the team as I stood to the very right of my line, clad in a green and white striped mid thigh skirt and the matching white, sleeveless top that held the school's symbol, a leaf, at the center in green. Underneath, it read, _Konoha Forest Dwellers! _The Konoha High cheerleaders were known for their graceful moves, such as a leaf would in the wind, which matched our mascot dead on. They had to be graceful, though, with a mascot like that. I mean, a leaf? Well, at least it was better than Suna High's mascot, a gourd.

We start practice with some warm up stretches and then delve right into new cheer routines. It was hard to keep up, but every so often, Hana and Ino would give me looks of encouragement which, I had to say, did help me through the three hours of practice.

We start cool down once the three hours is up, and as everyone is stretching out and grabbing bottles of cold water from the cooler in the corner of the gym, Karin comes up to me with a frown. "You did alright today," she says while examining her nails. "Although you were a bit sluggish."

I press my lips together, reminding myself that she was only trying to rub me the wrong way. In fact, she was probably looking for ways to get me to quit. But I couldn't quit because I owed it to Hana, and every other person in the school who Karin harassed, to at least try

"Thanks," I say, forcing a smile. Matsuri and Ino come up to me then, handing me a bottle of water and a wet towel.

"You were great," Matsuri says with a wide grin. "You're getting the hang of it, and it's only your first day."

Ino nods, but at the look Karin shoots her, takes a step back, her hand clutching Matsuri's shoulder. The two retreat to where the others are chatting softly with each other, leaving Karin and me together. "I'll see you Monday, then," She says. "And every day after school this week."

My jaw pops open. I had practice every day after school? And on Saturdays? How was I supposed to get my homework done? When would I eat, or read books, or hang out with Naruto?

I hang my head as Karin leaves me to sulk. Grabbing my bag, I head down to the locker rooms to change and then meet Naruto in the library where he promised he'd be waiting.

…

"So you come here on the weekends to study?" Naruto asks while pressing _print_ on the Microsoft word document he'd been typing on. The girl beside him nods while retrieving the sheets of paper for him. Her long, silver hair hangs down in loose spirals, part of her hair tied into a bun at the back of her head. She places a pair of silver and blue sparkly glasses on the brink of her nose and inspects Naruto's papers.

"Yes," she says. "I like to catch up on my studying and sometimes read novels. My house isn't very…welcoming."

"Oh, well that's cool, Amaya," Naruto says a bit awkwardly. "So how is it? Anything I should have left out or added?"

She shakes her head as a grin appears on her face. "This is excellent," she says, and turns to look Naruto in the eyes. "You're a great writer. I'm sure everyone will be dying to write in to you after they read this. So who did you get to ask a question?"

She takes a seat beside the blond, placing the papers near his elbows as they rest on the table. "I asked Sasuke," he says with a laugh. "He wasn't fond of it but," he shrugs. "Anyway, he's the only one other than you that knows."

"Oh," Amaya says quietly. "Well, are you guys good friends?"

"Oh yeah, the best of friends!" Naruto says with a grin, his nose crinkling. She nods. "Well um… I should be going now. I think Hinata is done with practice."

"Yeah," Amaya says, and rises to her feet.

"See you at church tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir!"

The two share a laugh as Naruto gathers up the papers and hands them to the girl beside him. "You keep them. I don't want Hinata to see."

And with that, he strides towards the door of the library, awaiting Hinata's arrival. Amaya stares at the back of his head with thin lips.

_The best of friends…?_

**A/N: **Well, that was shorter than most of my chappies but mom is being so annoying so… I gotta study now -_- I hope you enjoyed! Please comment :D


	11. Amaya

Chapter Eleven:

Amaya

**A/N: **Hi guys ^^ I know all of you are excited (or angry) or at least curious about Amaya, so this chappie is gonna be all about her mysteriousness haha. But trust me, barely anything will be revealed muahaha I'm that good ;) Comment please!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

A week had passed since the study date and it was now Friday, the day of presentations. Sakura had made sure to tell me that she was somewhat of a project whiz and that she had a reputation to keep, so if I messed up or got us anything below a B, she had threatened to tell Naruto something that I really hadn't wanted him to know, something I'd revealed to her during the sleepover. _Girl stuff_, you could call it.

Anyway, I guess when she said she was a project whiz, she didn't mean she was great at doing projects and gathering a bunch of interesting research. What she'd meant, I had soon figured out, was that her presentations were always a big boom. Or in other words, she and I had to dress up and act out parts of our project. _As covalent bonds_.

She'd made the costumes herself because apparently, she can sew. Really well. She'd sewn us blue dresses with the wired rim at the bottom, you know, like how ball gowns used to be made way back then? And along the bottom there were large, red marbles strewn along the wire. We each wore red silk gloves, which we would place in the two rings when we stood beside each other, letting the wires overlap like a ven diagram.

It was all very elaborate and, really, it was a great idea. But me? Where a dress? Like that would ever happen. It was a miracle I even wore that skimpy cheer outfit. I mean, sure, I'd worn a dress to church with Naruto but in front of our whole class? That was a whole other level.

"Okay Kiba, Shino, it's your turn," Kurenai says. Sakura turns to me, giving the signal: a wink. I turn to make sure no one else had seen her winking at me before rising cautiously to my feet. She rises too, raising her hand in the process.

"Kurenai-sensei," she calls, to which everyone turns to her. Except for Kiba. Kiba's eyes are on me, and the look in them makes me feel really uncomfortable. It's almost a look of regret, but also one of anger. "Hinata and I need to change into our costumes for the presentation." She finishes. Everyone _ooh_s at this, causing my cheeks to turn ten shades of red. Seriously, it was like the elves were throwing some sort of Christmas party or something.

Naruto grins at me, a slight blush dusting his cheeks which, again, makes me uncomfortable about wearing the darn dress. But before I can protest or take my seat again, Sakura has her grip on my wrist as she pulls me to the doors of the classroom, calling a _thank you_ over her shoulder at Kurenai.

Once in the hall, I wrench my hand from her grip and frown at her. "Sakura, I'm not comfortable with this."

She rolls her eyes. "Come on, Hinata. You know I'm not big on ostentations either, but remember what I told you? This was genius and if you mess this up-"

"I know, I know," I say while lifting my hands in the universal surrender pose. "But why _us_? Couldn't you have lent two puppies and dressed them up as covalent bonds? I mean really, wouldn't that be more favored by the class than…well, us?"

Sakura grins, but it vanishes just as soon as it had appeared. "Hinata, don't be selfish. You know I worked hard on those costumes."

"I know," I say shamefully. And just as she's about to say something else, the sound of voices halts her. I furrow my brows at her reaction, snapping my fingers before her. "Sakura-?" she places a hand over my mouth and with her free hand, rests it on my shoulder, pushing me to the floor so that we're huddled behind a large trashcan.

The two of us peer around the corner of the trashcan, watching as two girls come striding down the hallway in a heated argument. One of them is Karin, her hair bunched at the top of her head in a messy bun. She's wearing a pair of emerald earrings, ones that I recognize as the ones Ino was wearing the other day. The second girl, the one who's trying so desperately to get in a word as Karin flaps her lips at a hundred miles per hour, is someone I never would have guessed would be walking, let alone _fighting_ with Karin.

It's Amaya. Her hair is straight today, the silvery strands clinging to the fabric of her shirt, silver juxtaposing with the stark white of the Konoha High uniform. Her lips are turned down in a frown, her brows etching together in an annoyed way as Karin runs her mouth, not even stopping to take a breath. Seriously, even I wondered how she did that.

My eyes dart to Sakura's. She gives a shrug and then motions with her finger at her lips to stay quiet. I turn back as their voices become clearer.

"Karin, please?" Amaya says, getting one again cut off by the magenta-haired Queen Bee.

"Amayra, darling," she says in an irritated tone.

"It's Amaya-"

"Whatever. Listen, I'd be happy to speak to the press about our upcoming competitions and such, but that's something that people will just have to learn on their own. It's the way of business, sweetie."

"I'm not sure I understand…" Amaya says, confused.

"Lemme spell it out for you," Karin says, stopping abruptly to turn to Amaya, who seems startled at her sudden action. She looks nervous, scared almost. "We don't do newspapers. I don't want some loser sitting on their couch reading about our next upcoming event and looking at pictures of us in our uniforms. They don't deserve it, got it? If someone is interested, which they all should be, then they need to come to our competitions and watch us. It's a way to make money and fans. It's gonna cost 'em if they wanna see us in action and know about us, okay?"

Amaya presses her lips together, her deer eyes turning hard. "Got it." She says, and turns on her heel in the opposite direction. Karin shakes her head, letting out an exasperated breath.

"What a freaking loser." She says under her breath before heading into Kurenai's classroom. The slam of the doors startles Sakura and I out of our trance, and the two of us shoot up to our feet.

"What was that all about?" Sakura says in a sour tone.

"I guess Amaya wanted to interviews us-I mean, the cheer leaders. I had no idea she was on the newspaper, though." I respond while staring in the direction Amaya had just left in.

"Man sometimes I have no idea what's up with the people at this school. Karin's a snob, the guys are jerks, and that Amaya girl-"

"What's wrong with Amaya?" I inquire, turning back to her.

She shakes her head. "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about her."

"What?" I say with a laugh. "That's inane. Amaya's sweet! She goes to Naruto's church and she's super nice. She's just a little shy."

"I guess…" Sakura mumbles. "Okay, come on. We need to get changed. I think we wasted too much time." I sigh.

Why couldn't I be a skipper like half of the people at our school?

Oh, right, because Sakura was a conniving, devious girl who threatened to ruin me if I messed up her presentation.

Now I was even more nervous than before.

…

"So…next week…" Naruto says while taking a seat at the bench Sakura and I were eating lunch at. It was the same bench I'd seen her crying at that day at the festival. Since then, she and I had been eating lunch out here.

"What about next week?" Sakura asks with a quirked eyebrow. She lifts a chunk of grilled salmon to her lips.

"Next week is the first day of October," Naruto says with a wide grin. "Which means Halloween is coming soon."

"Oh," Sakura says, visibly brightening. "I love Halloween. Except for the fact that mom makes me pass out candy every year."

"Yeah," I say, just to say something. Halloween wasn't exactly my scene. My dad hadn't really let me eat candy back when he was alive. Halloween was something that scared me, something that I almost despised. Neji and Tenten spent Halloween curled on the couch every year, watching horror moves until dawn. I'd just stay in my room doing homework, waiting for Hanabi to come home drunk from some Halloween party so that I could hold her hair back as she threw up into the toilet.

"So…Since it's illegal to trick or treat if you're over the age of fifteen here," Naruto continues with a nervous look. Sakura and I stop eating to watch him. "How about we all have a get together?"

Sakura sets down her chopsticks, a smile slowly spreading across her face. I glance between the two while breaking into a cold sweat. Was he really asking this? Okay, okay. Let's get out the black and red checkers and place them on the balance. On the bright side, I'd be spending a whole night with Naruto, most likely snuggled against him in fear. On the darker side, one that resembled Halloween quite nicely, I'd be scared and miserable with the memories from my past Halloweens.

So did I want to go or not?

Naruto clears his throat. "I was thinking we could watch horror movies and make popcorn balls and stuff."

"Sounds fun!" Sakura exclaims.

"And it could also be…sort of like a sleepover…" he adds quietly.

So that was why he looked so nervous. And man, I sure didn't blame him. He wanted me to sleep over? That sure sounded…well, risky.

"Oh my gosh," Sakura says while rising to her feet, startling Naruto and me. "And we could also dress up! I mean, what's Halloween without awesome outfits?"

Naruto and I sweat drop.

"I guess," he says.

Sakura takes her seat again. "So who else is coming?" she asks while presuming to eat her lunch. "Sasuke, right?"

"Yeah, Sasuke is coming," Naruto says. "And I invited two other girls," he glances nervously at me. "Hana and Amaya."

Sakura' drops her salmon in the grass, a cricket immediately claiming it as its own. She narrows her gaze. "Amaya?"

"Hana?" I ask.

Naruto scratches the nape of his neck. "Well, Amaya was telling me about how she loved Halloween and so, I mean, she's really nice, so I asked her to come. And Hana?" he shrugs. "We're like brother and sister."

I nod at this. That made sense. I mean, I liked both Hana and Amaya. But Sakura…she didn't exactly like Amaya. I mean, not that she's stated it aloud or anything but she was giving off somewhat of a deadly aura at the mention of the girl's name. Which made me wonder…why did she hate Amaya so much?

Naruto turns to me. "Are you okay with me inviting them?" he asks, startling me out fo my thoughts. Was I okay with it?

I nod. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I glance at Sakura, who's still holding her chopsticks as if the salmon was still gripped between the two wooden utensils.

"Because I thought it may make you uncomfortable to have so many girls in my apartment." He supplies. I blink. He…thought I'd be jealous? And he hadn't wanted me to? I stare at him unblinkingly. How could he care so much? How could he be so…infallible?

"I'm fine with it." I say.

"Well don't worry," he whispers, leaning in across the bench table and placing his hands atop of mine. His gaze bores into mine, causing me to inwardly shudder in delight. "I won't even look at them. You'll be all I'll see."

My cheeks redden at his words and I avert my gaze to the salmon on the ground which was now being fought over by various insects, the cricket managing to come out victorious. The feeling of Naruto's lips at my forehead draws me back to his gaze, but all I see is the collar of his shirt and the light copper of his tanned clavicle. My legs clench together so as to stop the feeling of rushing blood to my middle, but to no avail.

He pulls back with a small, dazed smile. But the moment is completely ruined when Sakura shoves her hand between the two of our heads and flicks him on the forehead with much force. My eyes widen as Naruto's hands fly up to caress his now red forehead. "What was that for?" he nearly shouts, causing a few heads to turn in our direction.

I press my lips together, worried at all the attention. "Guys," I whisper. "Keep it down. People are staring."

But neither hears me. "Why are you inviting Amaya?" Sakura says just as loudly as Naruto had been speaking. My eyes widen.

"Sakura, shhh," I say while pressing a hand to her shoulder, my head whipping in every direction so as to make sure Amaya wasn't around. She shrugs me off, though.

"Do you and her have some sort of…weird relationship?" she asks through her teeth, seething.

"Sakura!" I exclaim in surprise.

"I don't have any relationship with her other than the fact that we're friends, church-neighbors, and classmates," Naruto says in annoyance. "And what's it to ya', anyway?"

"What's it to me? It's nothing to me!" she's shouting now, and I'm sure there are people staring at us now. But I refuse to look so as to keep myself from cowering at their gazes. She starts sputtering now, tripping on her words. "B-but…what about Hinata, huh? It's sure something to her!"

"No it's not."I interject.

I could tell she was hiding something now. The way she was stuttering and using excuses… Now I _had_ to find out why she hated Amaya so much.

She shoots me a glare before turning back to Naruto. "Naruto, think about Hinata. You're spending all your time with this girl and you don't spend any time with your own girlfriend."

"That's not true," Naruto and I say at the same time. I let him speak though, shrinking back at my own boldness. "I care about Hinata very much, and every second available to me, I spend with her. At least, I try to spend as much time with her as possible. She's so busy with cheer practice and I'm so busy with my stuff…It's not like it's any of your business anyway!" he quiets down a bit. "And Amaya is a good friend. I'd never do anything to Hinata behind her back."

Sakura looks as if she's almost about to burst into tears. She presses her lips together while taking her seat. Then she lifts her chopsticks to her lips, nothing held in them. But she keeps them there, though, with the wood pressing into her bottom lip.

Naruto and I share a look and then he lets out a sigh. "Sakura, I'm sorry. It's just that it's really none of your business, and you had no right to blow up on me like that. Can you forgive me for fighting with you?" at her silence, he lets out a frustrated grunt and lifts himself from his seat. "Fine," he says. "I'll see you later, Hinata." He kisses the top of my head before exiting the courtyard, his stature deflated.

I turn to Sakura with a frown. Perhaps sitting at this table was a curse. The crying never seemed to cease. Sakura had taken to setting her head onto the table, her arms shielding her face from view. "Sakura," I say softly. She flinches. "Sakura, I'm not mad at you. I just want to know what's going on in your head. Will you tell me?"

Sakura sniffs before lifting her head. The tiny bit of mascara she had applied was beginning to streak and her nose was turning red. "Sakura, what's that matter?" I inquire, concerned. I shift closer to her, placing a hand to the small of her back. Just then, someone appears before us, their shadow draping over the two of us as if there had been a skyscraper looming over us.

I lift my gaze to his dark yet soft one and let out a breath. He nods his head, motioning for me to get up. "Sasuke," I say. But I stop, not knowing how to finish. What did I want to say? I wanted some alone time with the sobbing girl beside me? Yeah, like I was going to talk back to Sasuke. I nod and climb out of my seat, my shoes getting caught on the table top.

"Sakura," he says as I scramble to pack up my bento. She buries her head back into her sheltered arms, which causes Sasuke to smile slightly. I press my lips together, watching as he takes my seat and places a hand to the top of her head. She sniffs. "Go." He says, obviously referring to me. I jump slightly, surprised he knew I was still there, and scurry away from the two.

And as I'm exiting the courtyard, the soft gleam of light reflecting off of silver catches my eye and I turn in time to find Amaya exiting the courtyard opposite the way I was headed. And I thought I almost saw her shoulders hunch and tremble, as if she was crying. But it must have been a trick.

At least, I hoped it was.

…

Cheer practice was a pain. Karin had purposely made me do all of the harder, more strenuous stunts, and she had even made me stay after practice for extra training, as she'd called it. So by the time we were all done, or _I_ was all done since Karin wasn't actually doing it with me, just watching from the bleachers, my shirt was soaked with sweat and my bangs were matted to my face.

"Good job," she calls, and then smirks. "Looks like you really needed this. I'm surprised you had it in you, though." And then she heads for the doors, leaving me alone to my panting. As I make my way for my bag, my chest heaving as I fight for breath, I catch the silhouette of a girl in the corner of my eye. I turn, almost laughing at how paranoid I must look when I realize it's just Hana.

She grins, patting me on the back. Then she grimaces. "Woah, Karin really worked you." she says with a laugh.

"Yeah," I say. "To the bone."

"Oh well. She doesn't know she's actually helping you to work off the calories from the day and eventually have an even better figure than you already have." She waggles her eyebrows and laughs again. I roll my eyes at her while hiking my bag over my shoulder.

"Why'd you stay?" I ask.

She shrugs. "School biz. Anyway, Karin told me about your science presentation today. It sounded really awesome."

"Did she say that?" I ask sardonically, shaking my head with a small smile.

"Nah but who cares? You probably blew the whole class away with an outfit like that," I blush and turn away, bending down to pick of my school shoes. Hana crosses her arms over her chest. "Is Naruto picking you up?" she asks.

"Yeah," I say.

She reaches into her own bag and pulls out a bottle of perfume, thrusting it at me. "Spray that on," she says. "And try to pull your bangs into your ponytail so he won't see how sweaty they are."

"Thanks," I say with an eye roll.

"No problem," she says while handing me my jacket so as to cover up any sweat stains I might have. I shrug it on, spray some perfume on, and tie my hair-along with my bangs-into a ponytail. "Good job," She states while patting me on the back. "Hey, when's Naruto's Halloween thing?" she asks.

"I don't know," I say. "Why?"

"We have some Halloween events that the cheerleaders do every year," she says. "We both need to attend so…let's pray it's not all on the same day," I nod, grateful for the insight. "Well anyway," she says. "I'll see you later. Bye."

I watch her go before placing my school shoes into my bag and heading for the doors. Naruto is standing outside of them, his arms crossed impatiently. When I walk out, I put on my best apologetic expression. "I'm so sorry, Naruto," I say. "Karin kept me longer than usual just to punish me."

He shakes his head. "Man, she's such a little brat," He says in a kid-like manner. I giggle at this, causing me to smile. "Hey, I like your hair like that. It looks really pretty."

A blush paints my cheeks crimson at the compliment, and I squeak out a tiny thank you in return. He then links his arm with mine and leads me to his car, the last one in the lot except for Tsunade's porche. We climb in and he starts the engine. "So anyway," he says once the car is rolling. "How's Sakura doing?"

"I don't know," I say. "Sasuke took over on the Dr. Phil role, and she hasn't spoken to me since." I let out a small sigh.

"Sorry about all that," he whispers. I turn to him, watching as his eyes linger on the car before us, trying desperately to concentrate on just that and not my gaze. I watch as the color of his cheeks turns from copper to almost a reddish bronze. Was he blushing? "You know I'd never hurt you like that, right? Amaya and I have nothing between us."

"I know," I say while turning back in my seat to look out the window. "I'm sorry she yelled at you."

"It's okay."

It's silent for a few moments more, and so Naruto turns on the radio. _Unchained Melody_ comes on and I tap my fingers against the window to the rhythm. "Hey Naruto," I say, to which he makes a soft _hm?_ in return. "When's your Halloween thing?"

"On Halloween," he says with a chuckle. "Because why wouldn't I have it on Halloween?" he turns to me with a quizzical yet comical expression.

I shrug, blushing at my idiocy. I mentally blame Hana for putting the thought in my head in the first place. "Okay," I say, and after a few seconds, begin to hum along to the song. Naruto joins me, and the two of us spend three minutes humming along to the most romantic song in the book.

…

Monday was like a nightmare. It was the day that the newspaper had been printed, and they'd announced on the intercom to pick up a newspaper at the library before lunch. So, as the good student I was, I headed for the library to pick up a newspaper, as they'd suggested. But when I read one of the columns, my heart sprung into my throat and my skin began to crawl with hot, prickly needles.

The column had started with the listing of all of the cheerleaders on the squad, and had progressed to discuss the topic of selfish, toying girls and how Karin and the rest of her pausee were all snobby and stuck up. And, as if I hadn't expected it anyway, my name was listed right along with the others'.

It only made me want to destroy Karin and get started on Hana's plan even more than I already wanted to. But the part that really made me angry, the part that made me feel ghastly was the fact that I knew who the author of this column was.

And I was she sure hated me because now I knew that she had been crying in the courtyard on Friday. She had heard everything we'd said and she was completely broken over it.

And now I felt totally guilty, even though I hadn't said a word about her.

I flip through the rest of the newspaper, eyes wandering until I'd finally found something worthwhile. It was an advice column called _Dear Chieko,_ and it was completely…well…_stupid._

Someone had written in asking if it was okay to wear compression shorts instead of underwear, and Chieko had answered:

"_Of course it's okay! Although they may be harder to get off when you and your girlfriend go at it…But either way, wear what you want and feel comfortable in your own skin." _

Was this Oprah or an advice column? And seriously, was this supposed to be a mockery of good advice or was this person just completely retarded?

I crumple up the paper and throw it into a trashcan on my way to the courtyard, hearing a gasp from behind me just as I place my hands to the knob of the door. I turn on my heel to see Amaya, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. She narrows her gaze and immediately I feel guilty. "Of course," she says, her voice sending chills down my spine. "Just what I'd expect from a cheerleader."

I watch as she turns on her heel and enters the library, her hands balled into fists. And then I sink to the floor, holding my head in my hands while I let out a frustrated grunt. I didn't know whether to be angry at her for writing such trash about me or to be sorry for hurting her feelings! I never got mad at anyone, and she was super nice at church…

What was I going to do?

**A/N: **Yikes… I feel like the ending sucked but…I wanted to write this for you all since it's a snow day! :D Comment please :)


	12. Team Karin

Chapter Twelve:

Team Karin

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I wanna dedicate this chappie to Hounded Curse, although I'm sure he's not reading it, and also Animefangirl, because I wanna apologize for fighting with her. So I'm sorry, Miranda! I love you! Anyway, please comment and enjoy :)

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

So okay, maybe I was mad at Amaya when I took a seat at my lunch table outside and found Sakura and Naruto spitting in each other's faces over the newspaper column. But I was even more furious about whose side Naruto was taking. That's right; you guessed it. He was taking Amaya's side.

"How can you even say that? Hinata's your girlfriend, you douche!" Sakura nearly screeches while flinging a piece of sashimi right into Naruto's left eye. It lands on the table with a soft slap as Naruto wipes the slime from his face.

"Amaya didn't say anything bad about Hinata," he defends. "She was obviously talking about Karin!"

"Um _newsflash,_ Hinata's name was in that column!"

"Guys," I interject while taking a seat beside Sakura, which, in my own way, was showing I sided with her. "You're drawing a crowd. Again."

Naruto finishes off the rest of his cup ramen before tossing it into the trashcan beside our table. He grunts. "Sakura draws a crowd wherever she goes." He says.

"Why, thank you," Sakura says with a false smile.

"I was referring to your huge forehead." Naruto states bitterly while sticking out his tongue.

"Guys," I interrupt again. "Stop it," I turn to Sakura. "Naruto isn't the one you should be mad at, and Naruto," I turn to my boyfriend who's trying not to look me in the eyes. "Please stop fighting with Sakura. And stop being so rude to her!"

"She's the one who keeps accusing me of cheating on you!" he exclaims.

"Sakura!" I nearly shout while turning to her with wide eyes. She turns away with a huff.

"Guys," someone says, causing the three of us to turn our attention toward the wall of a person standing before us. He looms over me, making me feel miniscule and inferior, as always. "Quit squabbling. Everyone can hear you," he takes a seat beside Naruto, right across from Sakura who's trying to avoid his gaze. "Sakura, what did I say about accusing Naruto like that?"

Sakura sticks out her lips in a pout. "I wouldn't know." She says stubbornly. He rolls his eyes.

"Quit making a fool of yourself. It's pissing me off." He says, and then reaches for the soda he'd brought with him. Sakura averts her gaze to her lap, lips quivering. I turn my attention to Sasuke, whose gaze is on mine. I frown.

"You're just as rude as her." I say, and then immediately wish I could take it back. Had I actually just mouthed off to Sasuke?

He narrows his gaze on me and then sets down the can of Mr. Pibb. "What did you say to me, Blueberry?" he asks, causing me to wince at the use of one of my nicknames. Naruto rises to his feet then while shooting Sasuke a sour look.

"Come on, Hinata, I'll walk you back to class." He says. I don't even hesitate to follow him, despite my bitterness towards the fact that he took Amaya's side over mine. I just really wasn't in the mood for being _squashed_ like a blueberry by Sasuke.

As Naruto and I head back to class, I take note of the way he keeps his eyes on his shoes. He looks like bursting into tears, and it almost reminds me of a younger Naruto, the one who was bullied back in preschool and kindergarten. The one who cried when Sasuke got the lead role in the Hansel and Gretel play in school instead of him.

"Naruto?" I say, causing him to cringe.

"Sorry about Sasuke," he says quietly. "He was such a jerk back there," He grits his teeth. "I can't believe he really said that to you."

"Me neither," I say quietly while turning my cheek. I didn't want him to see how badly my eyes were stinging right now. "Naruto, why was Sasuke being so cold to Sakura?"

He sighs. "That guy's a roller coaster. I guess he just needed a punching bag and she was the closest thing to one."

"That's terrible!" I exclaim.

"Hey, that's the way he thinks. I never said I agreed with it." He stops walking and I realize that we've reached the classroom. But neither of us enters. I was guessing Naruto hadn't pulled me out of the courtyard to get to class before anyone else, or just to get away from Sasuke. I was starting to feel he had something to say, something he couldn't spit out in front of the others.

"Are you gonna go in?" I ask, trying to discreetly push him into telling me whatever is on his mind. He slides the doors open, motioning for me to enter, surprising me slightly. I enter the vacant classroom and take a seat in my desk. Naruto slides into the seat beside mine, the one Sakura normally takes before class begins when she wants to gossip.

"So Hinata…" he says while wringing his hands nervously in his lap. "About the column… you don't think I had anything to do with it, do you?"

I stare at him, bemused. How could I possibly think he had anything to do with it? I mean, sure he and Amaya were getting close but it's not like I suspected him of giving her information on me. Right?

"I never thought that," I say. "Why would you think that?"

His cheeks redden and he turns away. "I don't know. Just because…"

"Because you and Amaya are hanging out more and more," I finish. He nods. "Naruto, despite what Sakura says, I have no doubt in my mind that you're being completely one hundred percent honest and faithful to me. I know you'd never hurt me."

He smiles at this and takes my hands in his. Thankfully, my hands were cold and dry, unlike his hot, damp ones. I smile at the reverse of roles. "Thank goodness," he breathes. "I was scared you thought I was cheating on you or something."

"I don't blame you," I say. "Sakura has the whole school thinking it." We share a laugh, and then it becomes quiet. "So…are you still inviting Amaya to the Halloween party?" I inquire, albeit I didn't want to know the answer.

"Um…yeah," he says, and drops my hands into my lap. I stare at him. "Look, I know you two will make up. You told me you liked her that Sunday when we all met! I swear this is just one huge misunderstanding. You know she was aiming to hurt Karin, right? She really likes you, Hinata. Please believe that."

I stare down at my hands and say, "Okay."

Because what else could I say?

…

It was like walking through a debate campaign. Every wall in the school was plastered with some hateful poster. All of the blue ones read: _Take Down the Queen Bee: Show the School She's Fugly!_ And below the title was a photo of Karin in the girl's locker room hunched before a gym locker that read _Ino_, a pair of earrings cupped in her hand. I recognize the earrings as the ones she was wearing at the meet the other day, the ones I'd also seen Ino wearing as well. I was right about that! Karin stole Ino's earrings! And Amaya had gotten it all on camera…

Even more of the posters plastering the walls were red ones that read _Team Karin_ at the top and below the title was a catchy phrase: The Hater makes her move; tries to destroy the ship; but she's also stolen something from Hinata; her and Naruto's relationship. And under those words was a photo of Amaya and Naruto, sitting at a computer in the library giggling.

When had that been taken? And by who? When had Naruto been in the library with Amaya? How come I didn't know about this…?

As I take another step through the hallway, my History book clutched to my chest, I take note of the eyes that fall on me. Everyone was staring at me…because of Karin's poster. This was all her fault! If she'd just mind her own business then none of this would be happening. Actually, if she had a better attitude then that column wouldn't have been written. It was _all_ her fault.

I press my lips together and move on, avoiding eye contact with anyone in the hallways. When I reach the gym, I throw my bag onto the freshly-polished floor and glower at the girl before me. Huddled around her are the other cheerleaders, their brows etched together in concern. "Karin," I say through gritted teeth while striding towards her. "Where did you get that photo?"

"What I'd like to know is why you're angry at me, _Stalker_," she says while adding emphasis to my nickname. "I'm doing you a favor. Amaya is a rotten scum bag, and I'm just doing my job as your cheer captain and classmate to help get back at her for you."

"You mean, for you!" I almost shout. "How could you humiliate both me and Naruto like that?"

"You mean, you're still dating him? I would have thought you'd dump him after seeing that poster…" she smirks. "Oh wait, isn't Naruto your knight in shining armor? Didn't you wait for him to love you ever since you were a little, moronic child? How could you give up that so easily?" she shakes her head. "Poor Hinata. She wants to keep him so badly that she doesn't even care about the fact that she's being used."

I bite the sides of my cheek, a new-found fury racing through my being like hot oil. She was _not_ going to get away with this. I take a step forward. "I hate you, Karin," I say as tears spill from my eyes. That's all I had to say? That's it? And I was crying! I must look so completely weak!

"I know, honey." She croons.

"Karin," Hana says from behind the magenta. She turns around, her smirk replaced with an irritated frown. "You've gone too far. You need to stop this. Leave Hinata alone! And apologize!"

I close my eyes. I couldn't stand the thought of having _another_ person defend me because I was too weak to do it myself. I looked so inferior.

"Oh?" she says, and turns back to me. I stare her in the eyes, willing my lips to stop quivering for the three seconds it takes her to utter her next words. "You're off the squad, Princess. Pack up."

I stare, wide-eyed, as she crosses to the other side of the room, swinging her hips to the rhythm of my thumping heart. Had she…? I turn to Hana, who looks as if she'd just witnessed a murder. Her fists are clenched so tightly that her knuckles turn white. And then I realize that Temari, too, looks as if she's about to tear out Karin's esophagus. She must have been in on the plan, too.

I see that Ino looks broken, like she's going to cry. I didn't think she was in on the plan, but perhaps she was growing fond of me. The others look shocked, but not nearly as torn as the others. My gaze meets Hana's, and that's when her tears begin to brim with a shimmering of tears.

"Hey," Karin shouts from the locker room doors. In her hands is all of my cheer stuff. She tosses it to the ground before lifting her chin in the air. "Get out of my gym. The rest of you, I want you in formation! Now!"

They move slowly, lethargically, all but Hana and Ino. Temari places a hand on Hana's shoulder, to which she shrugs off, and then the blond starts toward the lineup. Hana's gaze is on the floor now; she doesn't dare meet my eyes. Ino gives me a look that makes me think she wants to rush up to me and give me a huge hug goodbye, as if we'd never see each other again. But she doesn't. Instead, she makes her way to the lineup, sniffing along the way.

Suddenly, I feel the weight of a shoe slamming into my face and I wince as one of my cheer shoes fall to the ground with a thump. I look up to see Karin picking up the other shoe to toss at me. "I said, get out!" she shouts, and then flings the rest of my things to my feet. I crouch down and slowly gather up my uniform in my arms. And then I shove them into my bag and make for the door, only turning back once I've walked through it to find Hana still standing there, shoulders hunched, as the rest of the team starts warm-ups without her.

And then the door slams closed, and the tears stream down my face.

…

I'd walked back to the apartment in the rain, my hair matted to my face and my school uniform soaked and clinging to my tingling skin. Tenten had made me a bowl of ramen and had asked Neji to run down to the bakery to get me a box of cinnamon rolls. Then she'd set me on the couch with a blanket and had turned the heat up to seventy.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata," she says while rubbing my back soothingly. "Karin's just a huge slut." She shakes her head in disapproval.

I wasn't really listening, though. There were so many thoughts streaming through my mind, like the fact that I'd let Hana, and possibly the rest of the school down, and also the fact that Karin had gotten that picture of Naruto and Amaya. I mean, where had that come from? Was it photoshopped? Did they have a thing going on behind my back?

"Hinata, did you hear me?"

I blink, turning to Tenten with a blank stare. She cocks her head to the side while holding out the home phone to me. I take it, my brows furrowing together at the thought of who it might be. No one I knew had my home phone number…

"Hello?" I say, and am surprised to hear how raw my throat sounds. I clear it just as the person on the other line replies:

"This is Amaya."

My breath halts in my throat. Had I heard right? Was Amaya really on the other line? Or was this some sick joke Karin was playing on me? Maybe my coughing had made me hear wrong. "Can you repeat that?" I ask cautiously.

"I know you're mad at me, Hinata, but come on. Don't play that game," I swallow. So my ears hadn't deceived me. Amaya was really on the other line. How'd she get my number? "I'm sorry for everything, okay? Naruto told me… Naruto told me that you think I'm nice, and that you weren't mad at me. I felt guilty for it. I didn't mean to hurt you! Really, it was aimed at Karin… But then I saw you throw away the article and, well, I worked so hard on that! It just really hurt me…"

I take a deep breath and listen to everything she has to say. And once she's finished, I say calmly, "Amaya, it's fine. I just…" I worry the fabric of the blanket. "Did you see the posters on the wall?" Amaya is silent for a long time, and then she replies softly, "Yeah."

"Then the photo…" I say, and let my sentence trail off. I knew she would understand, and I also knew she'd be the one to give me a straight answer. I wait until she's ready to talk, listening to her even breathing on the other end as I watch Tenten greet Neji and the door and place three cinnamon rolls on a plate. She places them in the microwave to warm up a little, just how I like it, and then turns around and gives me an inquiring look. I shake my head at her.

"It was real." Amaya finally says.

"So then-"

"Naruto and I have nothing between us though, I promise! I don't like him that way, and you…well, you're everything to him," she whispers her last words. "He loves you more than anything. I've never seen someone so…protective and just intoxicated with love. It's quite beautiful."

Tears begin to brim in my eyes and before I know it, they're rolling down my cheeks and marking the blanket draped over me with shadows. She waits while I finish my fit and then I say, "Thank you, Amaya. And… I know you'd never hurt me. But why were you and Naruto in the library together?"  
Amaya pauses. I look up to Tenten who's holding out a warm plate of cinnamon rolls to me. She places them beside me on the couch before grabbing Neji's arm and leading him down the hall silently. Sometimes having those two around was better than having a kitten. They knew just what to do and when. Of course, a kitten would have been nice too.

"We were working on a project together," she says. I can tell it's a lie though. Her response was terse, and she'd taken a while just to think of it. But why would she be lying? I press my lips together.

"Okay," I say. "I have to go now. But, um, I'll see you in school, okay?" she agrees and then I hang up. I hang my head back and close my eyes. Amaya and Naruto had been sneaking around with each other. But what were they doing? And why behind my back…?

Just then, the front door opens and in walks Hanabi wearing her school uniform, the shirt unbuttoned so that her chest was clearly visible. Her tie is tucked under her shirt, finding its place between her breasts. She pauses when she sees me on the couch, raking over her attire. She places her bag beside mine on the floor and closes the door quietly. "You alright?" she asks.

"What are you wearing?" I counter.

She shrugs. "My school uniform. So back to my question; are you feeling alright?" I shake my head.

"Hanabi, you cannot waltz around wearing something so revealing. It's inappropriate."

"You're right," she says, and heads for the hall. "I won't do it again."

I narrow my gaze on her back, watching as she enters her room and then closes the door behind her. Had she just followed orders? From me? And without a fight, either… Something was definitely going on with her, but I was just too worn out to find out what. So instead, I rest my head upon the couch cushion and pull the blanket to my chin and fall asleep like that.

…

When I wake up, I'm not on the couch anymore, but instead I'm on my bed. I blink the sleep from my eyes and glance around the room, surprised when a bright patch of blond blinds my vision. "Naruto…?" I say groggily. Suddenly, the patch of blond is gone and in its place is a face, one I'd recognize anywhere. He smiles at me gently.

"How are you feeling?" he asks. I don't respond. "Tenten told me what happened. About the squad, I mean. And Amaya called and told me she'd spoken with you," he places a hand on my thigh. "Is everything alright?"

I swallow. "I…" I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to _feel. _But something stops me from responding, distracting me from his plethora of questions. In the background was the sound of music playing. I strain to hear the words, but it's too soft.

"Hinata?" he turns the music off. Apparently, it was coming from his phone.

"What was that song?" I ask.

He stares at me oddly and then answers slowly, "It was _Just Pretend_, byElvis Presley_._ Are you gonna answer _my_ question now?"

"You like Elvis?" I ask, completely ignoring his question. He lets out a sigh through his nose.

"Yeah…it was something my dad liked."

Guilt swallows me whole and I say, "I'm fine. Everything's okay with Amaya and me."

He looks relieved. "Okay, but what about the squad? I know how you and Hana… I mean, I'm just…How are you taking it?"

"How do you think I'm taking it?" I ask with a dry laugh. Naruto twists his lips to the side before reaching for something behind him on my nightstand. My eyes nearly glitter with lust when I see the plate of cinnamon rolls in his hands.

"Hungry?" he asks, to which I nod. He grins and tears one of the rolls in half. Then he places it before my lips, just barely letting it tap against them before pulling it away from me. "Not until you tell me the truth. Are you really okay?" he says, concern evident in his voice.

I close my eyes. "Naruto," I say as a blush heats my cheeks furiously. "Will you just…just do something for me?"

"What?"

"Will you say my name?" I ask.

"Say your name?" he reiterates. I nod.

"I mean…say it like you want me. Please?"

I keep my eyes closed so as to not see his expression at my request, but as soon as the words have left my lips, he places the cinnamon roll in my mouth, letting the sugary grains spark on my tongue. And then his head falls beside mine on the pillow and he places his lips to my temple, his hot breath sending needles dancing along my skin. And then he lets out a long moan, my name weaving in and out of the various low notes he uses when he drawls, "Hinata…"

My insides melt at the sound of his voice so close to me, and I give a small shudder. He drapes one arm over my torso and repositions himself so that he's lying on his side, his nose pressed to mine. And then he says it again, his voice lower, sexier. I almost choke on the pastry in my mouth but am able to swallow it in time for Naruto's lips to find mine.

Suddenly, the sound of my door swinging open has Naruto bolting up, straight as sword, and me gasping for breath. We turn to see an infuriated Neji standing in the doorway, Tenten smirking beside him. "We couldn't help but overhear." she says teasingly.

"I could have heard you in my sleep, Naruto," Neji barks. "Now get out of my house!"

Naruto jumps to his feet, and with a quick kiss to my forehead, hurries for the door, Neji slapping his ass on the way out. My and Tenten's eyes widen as Naruto bursts out laughing from the front door, Neji breathing heavily as he watches him leave, his eyebrow twitching.

"Wow, Neji," Tenten says. "Don't make Hinata jealous. Or me, for that matter."

"It was the only thing I could grab while he was going so quickly." He mutters.

"That sounded so wrong." Tenten says while howling with laughter at Neji's disgusted look. He repeats his action on the brunette and sends her back into his room with another burst of laughter. Then he turns to me, and I realize for the first time that I was staring at him with a wide grin on my face. I quickly shut my mouth and watch as he storms into his room and slams the door shut.

Oh, what a night.

**A/N: **This chapter was really short, but I haven't written in a while and I had a bunch of homework, so I hope you're all happy :) Sorry for all the perverse stuff, if you don't like that, I mean… Comment!


	13. Trail of Tears

Chapter Thirteen:

Trail of Tears

**A/N: ** OH MY GOSH! I WAS ACCEPTED INTO GSA! I'm so freaking ecstatic right now ^^ Comment and enjoy please :D!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

Silver threads whisper across the finely cut blades of grass. Dark clouds stroll through the skies overhead, the wind exhorting them along an unseen path. Naruto lets out a disgruntled sigh and lays his head down, folding his arms behind him. "This is terrible," he whines. "The newspaper has no reviews! No one likes it! And worst of all, I think my column is what drove them away."

Amaya shakes her head while encircling her arms around her knees, which are brought near her chest in a defensive position. She rocks back and forth slowly, her eyes downcast. "It was my article, not yours."

"No, yours was great." he argues.

"I nearly started a war," Amaya says with a dry laugh. "I should be banned from ever typing again."

"No you shouldn't," Naruto says while sitting up. He taps her forehead with his index finger, causing her eyes to flit to his. "Karin _needed_ that bashing."

"But Hinata…" Amaya's voice drops to nearly a whisper.

"She's over it. She doesn't even blame you."

Amaya averts her gaze to the sky. "It's getting dark," she says. "And it's cold. Maybe we should head our separate ways."

"Yeah, maybe," he agrees while tilting his head up to the sky.

"Thanks for meeting me here," she says, causing Naruto to grin. He turns back to her. "I know you don't like waking up early, and especially on a Saturday morning."

He shrugs. "This is official newspaper business," he says. "Hey, speaking of which…"

"Yeah?"

"I need help. Tips, I mean. For the advice column."

Amaya sighs. "Well, you and Sasuke are funny, especially when together, but that bit you guys put together for the column was a little…"

"Dumb?" Naruto supplies.

"More or less."

"So how do I fix it?"

Amaya presses her lips together while worrying the hem of her green and black polka dotted shirt. "I know," she says as a spark of excitement flashes in her eyes. "I can write in."

Naruto snaps his fingers. "Yeah!"

All of a sudden, needles of rain begin to lightly prick the skin of the two teens. Naruto hops to his feet before outstretching his arm to help Amaya up. Once on her feet, she grins and says, "I'll write you tonight. Thanks for meeting me." And then she turns on her heel, the web-like hairs on her head whipping behind her as the wind begins to pick up. Naruto watches as she enters the school, most likely to head for the library like every Saturday. Then he turns for his car, a new beat in his step. He was in the perfect mood for a surprise visit.

…

I wake up to the sound of rain against my window, the soft pitter patter accompanied with the dim grey light entering through my blinds causing me to sink deeper into my pillow, molding the blankets to my form. Someone laughs softly from beside me, causing my eyes to widen. I spring up, sheets still pressed tightly to my chest, and turn to my right to find Naruto seated beside me, his jacket hanging on the backboard of my bed behind him.

I swallow. "Naruto?" I say softly, my vision blurring. Why was he here?

"Good morning, beautiful," he says. "How was your night?"

"Fine…" I say while lying back down. I turn on my side so that I'm facing him and then close my eyes again, letting the soft lullaby of the rain pull me back near the brink of sleep. Until Naruto's voice brings me back to reality. I'm fully awake by the time he finishes his sentence, and so I let out a sigh and open my eyes to find his large, tan hand resting beside my lips.

I nuzzle closer to it before responding, "You were up since seven in the morning?"

"Yeah. Amaya needed to talk about the newspaper." He says while resting his hand atop my head and letting my hair sift through his fingers.

Why would she want to talk to him about the newspaper? I thought we'd already agreed that I wasn't mad at her? "She isn't still worried I'm mad at her, is she?" I inquire.

"No," he says, and then pauses. "Well, somewhat. She still feels guilty about it. She thinks she started a war."

I laugh. "If that's the case then let's hope Karin loses."

"Agreed,"

The two of us stay like that for a few minutes more before the rain begins to pound against the window pane. The sound of thunder overhead causes me to crawl closer to Naruto's side. He responds to this by gently gripping my shoulders and lifting me so that my head is resting in his lap. I press my lips together, feeling an odd heat swim through me.

"Naruto," I say slowly, to which he responds with a soft hum. "Do you ever feel…this hotness in you? I mean, when we're…together…?" my cheeks blaze against the fabric of his pants, and I pray that he can't feel it. Naruto laughs softly as he moves his hands to my shoulders and begins to massage them.

"Do I ever," he says, causing me to shudder.

I swallow. "Naruto," my voice sounds hoarse, but I press on despite my lightheadedness. "Will you say my name again? Like you did the other night?"

He inhales, causing the hairs on my arms and neck to stand stiff, and then moans, "Hinata…"

I clench my thighs together and bury my head further into his lap, successfully hiding my face from his view. He says my name again, and this time he adds a soft growl. I can feel my skin burning beneath my pajamas and fight the urge to take them off. Suddenly, Naruto shifts positions, and instead of my face being hidden in his lap, I'm now fully exposed so that my blush is the brightest light source in the whole room.

My eyes widen slightly as he straddles my hips and places both hands on my shoulders. Then he begins to passage just above the swell of my breasts, causing me to squeak. "Naruto…" I whisper. But it comes out as a plea. He stops and bends down to press his lips to mine.

"I won't." he says against my mouth before moaning my name, as if he had read my mind. I smile against him.

"Naruto, at least let me brush my teeth." I complain, to which he laughs.

"That's nothing," he says while climbing off of me to instead lie beside me. He pulls the sheets over the two of us and then cradles me in his arms so that my forehead is resting against his clavicle. After about twenty minutes of listening to the rain beat against the window, Naruto finally asks, "So what did you think of the newspaper? The sports section was pretty wicked, eh?"

My brows furrow. Where did that come from? "Um I think you know what I thought of Amaya's article," I say. "But the rest?" I snort. "I didn't get to read the rest; it was that disgraceful. Oh, but I did read the advice column. Gosh, what a joke."

Naruto's hold on me loosens and for a second, he doesn't say anything. Then he laughs. "Yeah? I guess it was pretty dumb. Maybe next week's will be better."

"Maybe…" I say, opting to leave it at that. I didn't even know why he'd brought it up, but I sure wasn't in the mood for speaking about it. It brings back memories of Karin's terse words as she threw my sneakers at my face and barked for me to leave her gym.

I frown. Today was Saturday. Normally I'd be getting up right now, walking through the motions of getting ready like a zombie with half the heart for cheering and wishing I wasn't even a part of the team. Now I wish for nothing but to be part of it.

"You okay?" Naruto asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah," I say dully. "Today is Saturday."

"Uh…" Naruto pauses, as if the meaning of my sentence had just hit him. "Oh."

"Yup."

"Do you wanna go?"

"Go where?" I ask, confused.

"To the school," he says. I look up at him with furrowed brows. "We can go and get you back on the squad. Or at least try. Come on, what do you say?"

I shake my head. "I say you're insane."

Naruto sighs. "I wish you'd at least try. I know what it means to you to be on the squad, even if you hate cheering."

I don't answer, but my mind is screaming that he's right. Instead I lay there, my head resting in his chest and tears pooling in my eyes. But I don't let them fall. Not over this. Not again.

…

Sunday is painful. Naruto calls and tells me he's sick and that he can't go to church, which is fine by me since I wasn't feeling up to it either. Neji and Tenten are home, watching reruns of the Legend of Korra while Tenten shouts at the TV, asking when the new episodes will be airing. Hanabi is in her room today, eerily quiet, and I'm in bed, checking my mail and watching episodes of Skip Beat on my laptop.

Everything was quiet and okay, I guess, until I hear a loud rapping sound at the front door. The sound of Tenten cursing and Neji asking her to calm down makes me wonder if maybe I should get up and answer the door. But then I hear the sound of the lock and then a girl's voice. One I know all too well. And that's when my day becomes painful.

I hurry to the door, press my ear against it and then place my hand on the knob, ready to turn the lock if she decided to come my way. Then I hear more voices. The voices of all of my former squad-mates. My eyes nearly tear up when I hear Hana grumble, "It's too early for something like this."

Then the sound of Karin's voice rises over everyone else's and she says, "Where is she?"

"In her room." Neji answers. Tenten shouts something at the TV again as the sound of feet padding down the hall thunders in my ears.

They had made a house call…They were coming to see me! But why? Was this payback? Some cruel joke? Or had Hana convinced them to let me back on? Either way, I was nearly shaking in anticipation. I spring for my bed, placing the lap top back onto my lap and readjusting the blankets and pillows to make it look like I had never left. I then un-pause my episode of Skip Beat and wait anxiously for them to knock on my door, letting the voices coming from my speakers fall on deaf ears.

But then the sound of Hanabi's door opening causes my heart to slam into my chest and my blood to freeze instantly. They were here for…Hanabi? No. No, they were just mixed up. They didn't know whose room was whose, that's all.

Suddenly, my doorknob begins to turn, and my heart leaps out of my throat.

I knew it! I knew Hana would come through for me!

The door opens slowly, the shadow of the person creeping towards my bed as the light from the hall pours into my room. My eyes strain against the brightness of the light to identify the person before me, but even without my clear vision, I could tell the person before me was_ not_ Karin, nor Hana-they weren't even a girl!

They step forward, letting the door close softly behind them. And that's when their face becomes clear, clear as a bell.

And I'm stunned beyond belief.

"Hey," he says softly before taking a step toward me. I sink deeper into my bed, nails digging into my mattress as he nears.

"What are you doing here?" I nearly snarl. Had that come out of_ my_ mouth?

He pauses, as if unsure of what to do. Whether he was wanted or not. But then he takes a seat cross legged on my floor right beside me and tilts his chin up so as to meet my gaze. "I'm here for an apology, Princess." He states coolly.

Apology? He thought_ I_ was going to give _him_ an apology?!

"_Kiba_," I say, my voice dripping with venom.

"I'm sorry,"

I blink.

What?

"I'm sorry," he repeats while running a hand through his dark hair. "I'm sorry for making you cry…and for making Naruto…" he shakes his head. "Look, I knew he liked you. I didn't wanna hurt him by flirting with you, so I moved on."

I stare at my hands as they tremble against my knees. I ball them into fists to make them stop, but it does no good. "You moved on pretty quickly." I whisper.

"I…We're not dating. I never took her seriously. I don't think _she_ even took _me_ seriously." I don't say anything. "I'm sorry."

"What about Naruto?" I say, nearly biting my words out. "Why did you stop talking to him?"

"He stopped talking to me!"

"So? You could have apologized to him! You could have tried to patch things up…" I press my lips together. "Did you really like me?"

Kiba rises to his feet, startling me. Honestly, I was comfortable with where he was before, but now that he's nearing my bed, I don't feel nearly as comfortable. "I did," he whispers while pressing one hand against my bed and the other against my cheek. "And I knew you liked me too." My cheeks burn as he stares me dead on, his brown eyes like a sink hole and me being the victim.

"I…" I don't know what to say. What was I supposed to say to that? Other than the fact that he needed to seriously step down on the confidence scale.

"Hinata…you and Naruto are good together. Let's keep it that way." He backs away from me, his eyes now at his feet.

"I…wasn't suggesting against being with him." I say uneasily. Had he planned on doing something to me?

"Yeah," he says, almost sighs.

"Anyway…" I start. "Why are you here?"

"Right, well, Hana said she wanted me to drive her here, separate from the team. She said she wanted to stay a while and speak with you after they'd left."

Hana knew how to drive, and she had a license. So why had she asked Kiba to drive her instead of driving herself? But I didn't have to ask myself that question because I knew exactly why. She wanted Kiba and me to make up. How devious of her.

"Why are they here in the first place?" I inquire, dancing around my theory.

Kiba pales at this, and instead of answering my question, he turns for the door. "I think they're leaving," he says. "I'd better get out there so they don't think I was speaking with you."

"Wait," I say, to which he ignores. He opens the door and exits, a flicker of light splashing my face before vanishing just as quickly. I sigh. Were they here for Hanabi? But why? Why would they be?

Just then, my door opens again and in walks Hana, Kiba trailing after her. Hana turns on the lights, causing me to wince. "What, are you depressed? Turn on some lights, girl. And get out of your pajamas!"

I blush, noticing for the first time that I was wearing my pajamas. "Sorry," I stutter out. The brunette slides next to me on my bed, Kiba taking my desk chair, and then gives me a sympathetic look.

"I'm really sorry, Hinata," she says. "This needs to work, though."

"I know," I say while turning away from her. "I feel terrible about it all."

"Why? You didn't do anything. Karin wanted you off the squad from day one, and she used Amaya's column as the perfect setup. It had nothing to do with you."

"It had everything to do with me!" I almost shout. "This whole plan has everything to do with me!"

"Getting cocky, are we?" Hana says with a grin, to which I roll my eyes. "Come on, Hinata, don't just shut yourself in here."

"Isn't there someone else you can use?" I ask. "I mean, why me?"

Hana presses her lips together. "I don't know," she says. "You just…shine."

I push off my bed and press my back against my closet door, crossing my arms over my chest. "There's nothing about me that shines."

"Not with that expression." Kiba remarks with a wink. Hana tells him to shut up before rising to her feet.

"I _will_ get you back on," she says.

"There's no point," I say back. "Just leave me be. I _can't_ do it and I don't _want_ to do it."

Hana frowns at me. She stares at me for a moment, her gaze narrowing on mine. I inwardly squirm at the hardness of her eyes, but on the outside, I'm stubborn as a bolder. Then she flicks her wrist, motioning for Kiba to get up. The two of them make their way for the door, and just as Kiba exits, Hana turns around and adds, "You don't just shine. I also thought you'd be an amazing cheerleader."

And then she slams the door, leaving me to feel like the biggest ass in the world.

…

Monday at lunch, Sakura apologizes to Naruto. In fact, she surprises us all by saying that she'll even apologize to Amaya too.

I stare up at her in awe, my slice of leftover pizza wedged between my teeth. "You'll what?" I say, my voice muffled. But Sakura understands.

She takes her seat again, smoothing her skirt with closed eyes. "Yeah," she says. "I'm going to apologize to her. I was in the wrong."

Naruto and I share a look before I say, "Does this have anything to do with what Sasuke said at lunch the other day…?"

Her eyes flutter open and she turns to me, alarmed. "No," she spits out before downing the rest of her sprite. "Anyway, I need to find Amaya and apologize. So, see you guys." Then she rises and climbs out of the bench, taking her bento with her.

"What was that all about?" Naruto asks.

"I don't know," I say. "But don't you think Sasuke was a little harsh on her the other day?"

He shrugs, busying himself with finishing his cupped ramen. I inwardly sigh. Just then, a shadow bathes me in darkness, causing my skin to crawl. I look up to find Kiba standing there, a perturbed look on his face. "Hi," he says, causing Naruto to look up as well.

His face hardens when he sees the brunette. "Do you smell a mutt, Hinata?" he asks. "Come on, we should get back to class."

"Stop," Kiba and I say simultaneously, causing Naruto's gaze to narrow. Kiba and I stare at each other, wide eyed.

"I-I have to talk to you," Kiba stutters while turning back to Naruto.

"Why?" he asks, arms crossed.

"Naruto, please," I say. "Just hear him out."

"Have you two been talking?" Naruto inquires, a look of distrust on his face. I swallow.

"Naruto, please. You two were best friends. Just please hear him out!"

"Key word being _were,_" he responds bitterly.

"Naruto, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hitting on Hinata when I knew you liked her and I'm sorry for making her cry." Kiba spits out, desperately trying to keep the blond in his spot while he had him there.

I watch with sweaty palms. I was furious at Kiba that day, but Naruto and I are together now. It didn't matter anymore, so why shouldn't they be friends again?

Naruto bites the inside of his cheek as Kiba continues. "I know I was a rotten friend. I've always been a rotten friend, I guess, but I've also been a great friend, too!"

Naruto scoffs. "How?"

Kiba's jaw clenches. "How about the times I let you eat at my house because I knew you had no one to go home to? Because I knew you didn't have a meal waiting when you got home, or even someone to eat with. How about the time I let you sleep over when your Godfather tried to kill you? Or do you remember when that girl-"

"Okay!" Naruto shouts while rising to his feet. I jump back, startled. What was Kiba about to say…? About the girl…? And Naruto's Godfather had tried to kill him?! There's so much I don't know about Naruto…

"So you were a _great _friend," he says. "You're an angel. You want a gold star?"

"I want your friendship." Kiba states.

"Naruto," I start, and then stop. It wasn't my place.

"Kiba, even though you were the best friend I could ever ask for, you were a terrible person. No, you _are_ a terrible person."

"Naruto!" I shout.

"Yeah? Well you're no saint, either!" Kiba bites back. "What about that time that I caught you and Hana-"

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto screeches.

The entire courtyard goes silent. Even Naruto's breathing ceases.

I stare at him, lips quivering. Naruto turns to me, eyes glossy with what I can only guess is tears. I blink back my own before darting for the doors, shoving past the whispers I hear of Naruto being a man-whore and me being...

No! It wasn't true! None of it was…none of it was…true…

I'm running so fast, so blindly, that I forget to stop as I near a dead end in the hallway and slam right into the wall. I stumble back, feeling something wet pool against my brow. Sinking to the floor like a pail of water being dumped, I collapse onto my back, hearing nothing but the sounds of gasps, whispers, and my head hitting the floor.

And then everything goes black.

**A/N: **How was that?! Comment :DDD


	14. Lose the Battle, Win the War

Chapter Fourteen:

Lose the Battle, Win the War

**A/N: **Hi guys ^^ I think my life is looking up xD I feel happier for some reason… Hm anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter :) Please tell me what you think so far. Oh, and to the stoned guy, thanks! Lmao xD

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

My eyes flutter open to reveal seven orbs of shivering light circling around me. I squint at the glowing lights, my head throbbing with every breath I take. Where was I? Why couldn't I see anything? What were these lights before me?

I try to sit up but a sudden ripping feeling right above my left eye causes me to gasp in pain and crash back onto the bed. I hear the sound of voices; people gasping, someone sobbing quietly. I close my eyes, tears welling up in the corners. Why did I feel so…useless right now? Why was my head hurting so much? Did I rip a tissue in my forehead or something? Was that even possible?

I hear my name being called in a low, smooth voice. I recognize the voice as Neji's. I open my eyes once more, the wetness of them irritating the skin around them, and then slightly jump, startled. Gone were the glowing orbs of light, seven heads taking their places. I see Neji bent before me, eyes trained on mine. "Hinata, does your head hurt?" he asks.

I nod, which causes another jolt of pain to reverberate through my head.

"Just take it easy," someone else says. My eyes flit to my right to find Tenten standing with her arms wrapped around her waist defensively. Her eyes are glistening with tears, pronouncing the usual glimmer in her amber-tinted irises.

I realize for the first time that I'm in my bed, in my room. I glance around at the other people standing around me. There's Tenten and Neji to my right, Sakura sitting just a little ways away from them on the edge of my bed. She must have been the one sobbing. Her eyes were red and blotchy, like the first time I'd spoken to her.

At the foot of my bed stands Kiba with Hana, each of them watching me with guilty expressions. A stab of pain punctures my chest, causing my breath to cease. My gaze narrows on Hana's dark eyes and I find myself wishing she weren't here, wishing she had never been here. Wishing I'd never gotten involved with her dumb plan, with _her_.

I turn away from her, my head swimming as I find the last two people standing to my left. There's Hanabi, a soft look in her eyes as she watches my every movement. She almost looks remorseful. And just to her left, the closest of all people to me, is Naruto. I notice for the first time as our eyes lock that his hand is clasped around mine. His hand is sweaty and his expression is that of nervousness. It almost makes me smile.

But then I remember what had happened in the courtyard, _why_ I had run into that wall.

I blink as the sudden realization hits me. I had run into a wall. What, could I be anymore dopier? Dammit, _no wonder_ people made fun of me! That had to be the zenith of my loser life. I was sure to have received at least three new nicknames by Monday.

I inwardly groan. Why was I so stupid? Why did I react that way? I didn't even know what Kiba had meant by that… What had he meant…?

Naruto squeezes my hand, rescuing me from the depths of my thoughts. I take a shallow breath and then let it out shakily. "Naruto," I say, to which my eyes widen. My voice was so hoarse that I sounded like a man. I was the very image of embarrassment, I swear. "Naruto," I try again. My voice is scratchy, and my eyes begin to tear up again as the humiliation washes over me.

No one laughs, though, as I had expected them to. Naruto closes his eyes, a pained look on his face. "Hinata," Sakura says from my right. She sounds even worse than me. I turn to her and find my heart skipping erratically at the amount of tears that run down her flushed cheeks. "Are you okay?" I nod slowly, too stunned to say anything. Was she really that worried about me? "Thank Kami," she breathes. "I thought…I thought that…" she starts to sob again, unable to continue her sentence.

"Guys," Naruto says. I whip my head to my left, causing another wave of pain to flood through my head and neck. I ignore it, though. The very look on Naruto's face accompanied with the tears in his eyes causes even Sakura to shut up. "Leave us alone, please. Hinata and I need to talk."

I watch as everyone, even Neji, shuffles for the door in synchronization, as if they'd planned it. Kiba glances over his shoulder at me, giving me an apologetic look just before shutting the door behind him. Silence engulfs the room as Naruto and I sit beside each other, alone and silent. Then he releases my hand to wipe his eyes, a sigh escaping his lips as he rubs the brink of his nose. "Naruto," I say, surprised when my usual voice comes out of my mouth. His eyes flutter to mine. "What did Kiba mean when he said…?" I let my sentence trail off. Naruto knew what I was asking, and I knew that he had an answer ready for me.

"First of all, I just want you to know that Hana and I don't have anything between us, okay?" he starts. I nod, to which he lets out another deep sigh. "Okay. When I was thirteen, Kiba and Hana found out my story. About my past and everything. They found out about Jiraiya and how he…he would abuse me sometimes when he was drunk."

I can feel another round of tears coming. Naruto's Godfather abused him? But…why? Why didn't he ever tell me this?

"That's when Hana and Kiba started inviting me over for dinner every night. They would let me sleep over every other night, only when Jiraiya was on business trips would they'd let me sleep at my own apartment. Kiba…he signed up for football that year, so he wasn't home all the time. It would just be Hana and me…"

His eyes fall to his lap and I can feel my throat constricting.

"Hana and I…she said she felt really sorry for me. I guess…I don't know. She said she understood my pain and that, if I wanted, she would help me to…numb it." I close my eyes. Oh my Kami… "So some nights when Kiba was at practice, she and I would…go to her room."

"Stop," I breathe.

"Kiba found out," Naruto says hurriedly. "That's when we stopped talking. But then you and Kiba became friends and…he changed. You changed him, I think," My eyes widen at this and I turn to him in complete shock. "I noticed it right away. I saw you two together sometimes at school and he acted completely different than he used to. Then he started talking to me. He said he'd forgiven me. That was freshmen year. Then this year…you and I…" he closes his eyes and swallows. "I think it hurt him badly. But I think it hurt you even more."

"Wait-"

"We can't date anymore," he says, cutting me off. I make a gagging noise at the back of my throat, which causes him to turn away. "I'm sorry," his voice is shaky. "I can't hurt you like this anymore. I just…I just can't hurt you anymore."

"Naruto," I start. My voice had returned to its hoarse, scratchy state. I can feel the panic rising in my chest. "Naruto, don't do this. Naruto, I-"

He turns back to me and plants a kiss to my lips so quickly that I barely even register it. He pulls back and jumps to his feet, tears causing his eyes to appear as two lucid oceans. Then he dashes to the door and swings it open, shouting over his shoulder, "I love you, Hinata. I'll never let you die in my heart."

And then the door slams shut and I'm laying there, tears brimming over and trickling down my cheeks. I stare up at the ceiling, my chest feeling raw, as if someone had hollowed it out with a shovel. My vision blurs as the tears become too much to take and I let out a hoarse, barmy scream.

The door swings open and Neji, Tenten, Hanabi, and Sakura rush in. I'm screaming at the ceiling, kicking the sheets off of me and digging my nails into my pillow. Neji tries to hush me, tries to control my temper, but to no avail. I shove him off of me and continue screaming like a mad patient. I must have looked like I belonged in the Funny Farm. Maybe I did.

Sakura drops to her knees, tears trailing down her cheeks as she watches me kick and scream and sob. Tenten covers her mouth with one hand, looking as if she'd just seen her closest friend killed. Neji and Hanabi watch with pained expressions as I sit up in bed, the pain in my head now miniscule compared to the pain in my heart, and hunch over, growling into the thick air.

I let out another scream before falling onto my stomach and panting for breath. "Naruto…" I murmur as my tears soak the sheets beneath me. I lift my head up and scream, "Naruto!"

"Hinata," Hanabi says while grasping me by my hair and lifting my head up. My eyes lock with hers just as she slaps me with an intensity that beats all other pain. Even Satan couldn't slap that hard. I stare at her, mouth agape as my tears cease and my rage dies down, the emptiness consuming me once more. "Stop acting so fucking crazy."

I swallow.

"Hanabi," Neji says, his voice cutting through the heaviness in the air like a knife. He grabs her wrist, causing her to release me. I fall face down onto my bed, my eyes unable to close. "Hanabi," he says between his teeth. "Get out of here. Now."

With a grunt, I hear Hanabi's footsteps padding heavily until she reaches my door and slams it shut behind her. Sakura lets out a muffled sob, which is what brings me back to reality. I sit up, and once I'm fully aware of everything, Sakura throws herself at me and buries her head into my neck. "Hinata! Hinata, what the…what…Hinata!"

Neji lets out a tired sigh before reaching for his phone. "Who are you calling?" Tenten asks cautiously.

"A therapist," Neji answers.

"No," the brunette says while snatching the phone from him. "Neji…" she balls her hand into a fist, causing the phone to make a small cracking sound. "Come with me."

The door closes softly this time, and once it's just me and Sakura, I begin balling again. She leans back to look me in the eyes. "Hinata…I'm so sorry." She says with the shake of her head.

"I'm sorry I scared you." I say monotonously, my gaze far off. Sakura doesn't say anything to this.

She turns away, a look of fear in her eyes. And then she begins to sob again.

…

It had been three days since Naruto's and my breakup. I had stayed in bed all week. Sakura brought my makeup work to me every day after school and sat with me for two hours in silence. I never said anything and she didn't try to get anything out of me. I didn't eat dinner or lunch or breakfast. Occasionally, when Tenten brought in my meals, I'd take a bit out of a blackberry or drink the tea she left me, but other than that, I lay in my bed and stared up at the ceiling.

I played songs on my laptop, the ones that Naruto and I used to listen to. I listened to Evanescence and cried at the truthfulness of the words. I never slept. I never got out of bed unless I needed to use the restroom, and I only did so when I was sure no one was home or that everyone was asleep. If I left the room and someone saw me, they wouldn't let me back in. I'd tried it once and I vowed to never let my guard down again.

It was Friday afternoon when I heard a knock at my door. I didn't answer. Sakura knew to come in. When the door doesn't open, though, I turn my head to look. "Come in…" I say in a low voice. The door opens slowly, and for the first time in a week, I feel something other than emptiness and pain. I feel my heart hop into my throat. It brings a small bit of happiness to me, the fact that I can still feel. I wasn't completely gone yet.

Kiba comes in, carefully shutting the door behind him, and then takes a seat on the edge of my bed. His nose wrinkles as he catches my scent. Well, give me some credit; I hadn't showered in a week.

"Hinata," he says. I turn away from him, my lips thinning into a line. He places a hand on my shoulder, causing my heart to do a tap dance in my chest. "Hinata, listen to me. I know how you feel. When I found out about Naruto and Hana…I freaked too."

"I'm not angry about that." I growl.

He retracts his hand. "You're not?" he says, bemused.

"No," my lips begin to quiver. "I…I forgive him."

Kiba is silent for a moment. The only sound heard is the sound of Tenten shuffling around in the kitchen. Ever since I became depressed over Naruto, she'd taken up the job of nurturing me. She had that side. The side that causes one to care for even the sickest of all people.

"Hinata…you're an angel." He says, at last.

I turn to him slowly, my heartbeat slowing down. The compliment had made me feel…angry, distrusting. It should have made me blush, but for some reason, it didn't. Had I finally lost my dumb blush and stutter? Had this…cured me of my shyness?

"You're so forgiving. You were able to forgive me after I hurt you and now…now you can forgive Naruto for that."

"The past is the past," I whisper. "All that's to be dealt with is the present." I turn away from him again, the moment lost.

"That's not true, Hinata."

"Do you not want me to forgive Naruto for that?" I snap. He jerks back. It was the first time I'd spoken in a tone higher that droning. I swallow. "Quit pressing this. I forgave him and that's that."

"Then why are you depressed?" he inquires.

I gnash my teeth together. "Because he…broke up with me…" I say. I was sure everyone knew already. Why was Kiba in the dark, then?

"I know that," he says. My eyes widen at this. "I know he broke up with you. I asked why you're depressed."

I stare at him long and hard.

"Why…are you so…ignorant?" I seethe.

"You're the ignorant one," he retorts, to which I narrow my gaze. "If you could forgive him for that, if you two could keep on dating even after what he'd told you, then what's stopping you from keeping him?"

"I…" I shake my head. "I don't understand. Naruto _dumped_ me. That's what's keeping me from keeping him."

"If you could really forgive then you'd be able to get him back," Kiba says.

"You're not making sense!" I shout.

"You're not listening!" he shouts back, causing me to jump. "You're not listening," he says more softly. "You have this…this _line_ on his heart," he says. "It's almost like a rope. You can get him back, Hinata. He broke up with you because he didn't want to hurt you. If you can forgive him for hurting you then why the hell aren't you together?"

I swallow.

He was completely right. I could get Naruto back. If I told him that I forgive him for everything, that he wasn't truly hurting me, then I could get him back. I really could!

"Do your best, Tiger," he says. "I wish you the best of luck in the battlefield."

My brows furrow at this. "Wha-?"

Without any notice, he leans down and plants a kiss to my lips. My eyes widen at this sudden act. He pulls away with a sad smile. "Sorry," he says. "I needed to do that. It was the only way I forgive you."

"Forgive me?" I whisper into the air.

"For breaking my heart." He explains, and then rises to his feet. "Good luck, soldier." He salutes me before exiting my room. I stare at the space on my bed that he'd been sitting in. The blankets were still ruffled and warm from his touch. I rest my palm on the sheets before letting out the last tears that I would cry that day.

I was going to get Naruto back. I may have lost the battle, but _I will not_ lose the war.

…

Monday is my first day back. I head for the office first thing, give Anko, one of the receptionists, my doctor's note (I had apparently gone to the hospital, but I was unconscious during the analysis), and then head for my class. The hallways are littered with posters from the "war" between Karin and Amaya. Most of the posters are either in the trash or on the floor.

The eyes of many follow me as I make my way to my class. When I close the door behind me, the tension in the hallway is cut and I can finally breathe again. I set all of my makeup work, organized in manila folders by class, on the teachers' desk and head for my seat. I had gotten here early so I was the only one in the room.

This was good. I had some time to think.

I was wearing a sweatshirt over my school uniform, something Shizune, the school nurse, said I was allowed to do, and my hair was pulled into a ponytail. I felt clean and fresh and, well, better than I had all week. But my chest still felt hollow and raw and the bags under my eyes were present, sticking out like a sore thumb. I'd gotten three hours of sleep last night.

The door to the classroom opens and in walks Kiba. The first thing he notices is me, and when our gazes lock, he grins. "You're on the battlefield," he says while dumping his bag onto his chair. Then he strides towards the empty desk beside me and takes a seat.

"Quit using that war analogy," I say. "You're making me nervous."

"Sorry," he says with a shrug. "You look good."

"You mean I look better than I did Friday." I correct.

He shrugs again. "You also smell better." We both laugh at this, but I don't feel the usual tingle in my chest and stomach that I usually feel when I laugh.

"Kiba," I say, causing his laughter to die down. He stares at me and it's silent again. "What if he says no?"

His gaze drifts to his desk. "What did John Marshall do when Jackson said that the Cherokee had to leave Georgia?" he asks.

I groan. "What is your obsession with this stuff? I didn't even think you liked history!"

"Focus, Hinata. What did he do?" Kiba says, ignoring my remark.

I close my eyes. "He made a law saying that the Georgia laws didn't apply to the Cherokee since they had their own Constitution." I answer.

"Right. So let's say that you're John Marshall and Naruto is Andrew Jackson," he says. ""Your love is represented by the Cherokee. If Naruto refuses, which he'd only do out of love for you, keep in mind, then what will you do?"

"Keep pushing?" I guess.

"Right," he says.

"But so what? We can't date if he doesn't want to date me," I say.

"But he does," Kiba says. "He just needs the push. He needs to be convinced that you're not hurt and that you'll do anything to be with him."

"But-" I say, and am cut off by the door sliding open. My breath catches in my throat as Naruto walks in.

Kiba rises to his feet, causing Naruto to turn our way. Kiba heads for the door, nudges Naruto with his shoulder as he passes him, and then exits. Naruto and I lock gazes, and for the first time in a long time, the empty, hollowness that I felt in my chest dissipates and my heart swells.

He looked even worse than me, possibly. There were bags under his eyes, as well, and his hair was disheveled, as was his uniform. His eyelids were a dark brown with a rim of red along the tops near his eyelashes. He looked _dead,_ to say the least.

"Naruto," I say while rising to my feet. The chair makes a scraping sound on the floor. Naruto flinches, his feet pivoting in a motion that tells me he's about to turn for the door. I dash forward, stumbling on my desk leg but pushing forward, nonetheless.

"Naruto," I say again as I near him, just two feet away. And then I lunge for him, wrapping my arms around his neck. But instead of the usual warm I feel when I press my chest against his, I feel two large, cold hands pushing me away. I don't even blush at the way that his hands are groping my breasts.

I pull away, watching as the broken look in my eyes reflects in his own. "Naruto…?"

"What are you doing?" he asks in a rough tone. I jerk back, my body trembling. This…this wasn't the Naruto I knew…

"I…Naruto…" I swallow, determination taking hold of me. "Naruto, I forgive you. I…I-you didn't hurt me! I love you, and I want to be with you, and I'll do anything to-"

"Stop," he says, his voice terse. I stare at him in disbelief. "Stop. You know I can't say what you want me to say."

"Naruto," I sound like one of those women in a movie. The ones who've had their heart broken or the ones who have just been stabbed by their fiancé. I wince. "But I…Don't you love me?"

Naruto turns away, his eyes shutting tightly.

"Hinata, I told you I'd never let you die in my heart. What do you think that means?" he says in a strained voice.

"I…I don't know." I say truthfully.

"It means that I'll never forget about you, and that my love for you will always remain. You're…I love you…"

Tears begin to well in my eyes. Fresh tears, unlike the foul ones I'd been crying all week. "Then why…?"

"When you love something, you let it go." He states simply.

"No," I say while shaking my head. "Not if you now it won't survive on its own!"

He stares at me, stunned. "I…You'd survive longer without me than with me." He says in a withered tone.

"That's not true!" I say, fighting my position. "Please, Naruto, you don't know! You don't understand how long I've loved you!"

He swallows. "Actually, I do."

Something, maybe an elf, stabs me in the chest.

"What?" I say.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. I can't be with you. I've hurt too many people trying to satisfy my own needs. Being with you hurts everyone around me. I…don't want to hurt anyone anymore. Especially not you."

And with that, he turns for the door and leaves me alone, the intensity of his words thundering through my ears.

And then it struck me.

Even though John Marshall created that law, it didn't matter. Andrew Jackson forced the Cherokee out of the U.S. Naruto forced my love out of his heart.

I had lost the war.

**A/N: **In your face, Ramsey! Ha-suck on that! I know my history BD Anyway, comment please ^^


	15. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Chapter Fifteen:

He Loves me, He Loves Me Not

**A/N: Happy Easter! **So everyone is upset that Naruto and Hinata broke up, and I am too, trust me, but I just want you to know that if you think it's permanent then, well, no offense, but you're an idiot. If you know me, and a Naruhina story, then you know it's Naruhina and it will always be that way. So please, quit irritating me. They'll be back together, but you just need to read the story and stop complaining. Anyway, moving on :) haha Comment please!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

School had seemed to drag on and on and on. Finally, when the lunch bell rang, I was able to spring free from the cage that was our classroom and hurry through the halls toward the library. I didn't know why I felt such release when I stepped through the doors, but once the warm air kissed my cheeks and the scent of crusty books whispered through my nostrils, I let out a breath of relief. Sakura would probably come looking for me, but this was the only safe place to go. The courtyard was too dangerous to eat in, as well as the lunchroom. Naruto might go and sit in the courtyard where we normally sit or he might go into the lunchroom to avoid me. Knowing my luck, I'd probably choose the place that he'd choose and we'd come face to face. So the library seemed practical.

I take a seat by the large windows in the back of the library where the sun sauntered lazily through and stretched over the purple spotted carpets. I place my bento on the wooden table and stare down at it blankly. I wasn't really going to eat; it was all for show. I knew that I couldn't eat. I hadn't eaten in a week, and after my confrontation with Naruto, I knew that eating would be very rare from now on.

I take in a breath of the warm air before pressing my forehead against the table beside my bento. My eyes felt raw, as if they'd been sunburned, and my head was pounding fiercely. What was up with all of this? Why was Naruto being such an idiot? I hadn't done anything to make him leave, had I? That isn't what he said, but it sure felt like that was what he meant.

The sound of someone taking the seat across from me causes my breath to hitch. She'd found me. Wonderful. She was probably going to drag me to the lunchroom or the courtyard. This was a nightmare. I lift my head up slowly to come face to face with Amaya's wide, fearful doe eyes. I jerk back, startled by her expression. "Amaya?" I croak.

"Hinata, are you okay?" she inquires. Why did she sound so afraid?

"I'm fine," I say while turning the other way so as to not let her see my hollow, dead-looking face. She reaches over, bangles jingling, and places a warm hand over mine. I stare down at the glittering green nail polish on her fingers in what may have been shock. I couldn't really feel anything at the moment. And then, in defeat, I let our gazes lock.

"Naruto told me." She says.

This. _This_ is what makes my throat constrict. _This_ is what makes my stomach churn and knot and my ears pound, as if water was flooding through them. _This_ is what brings back all of the feeling to my body, and along with it, all of the pain. This one statement is what makes my heart deflate.

"He did?" I mouth. My voice seemed to be lost.

She nods, a solemn look on her face. "He loves you very much," she says. Tears begin to prickle in the corners of my eyes. "I've never seen someone let something go with such a passion."

"What do you mean?" I whisper.

There was something about Amaya. She seemed so whimsical and intelligent, as if she knew all of the secrets of the world and of the heart and the soul. She seemed to be connected to and with everything. So it was no surprise when she began to speak in what my brain processed as riddles.

"When someone loves something, they have to let it go. I've never seen someone let something or someone go with such passion. I've never seen anyone let their love go so far, become so lost."

"So lost?" I reiterate.

"Yes," she says sadly. "He sees it too. He doesn't want to face it, though, because one without a map cannot lead another without a map."

My brows furrow at this. "Are you saying that he's lost too?"

Amaya doesn't say anything. She just stares at me with such sorrow that it jabs me in the heart a million times over. "Naruto loves you very much," She says again. "Very much." There was something about the way that she said those last words that made my heart harden. Why did she keep saying that? What was she getting at? "Let me help you." She says suddenly.

I blink. "What?"

"Let me help you get back on the squad,"

"Back on the squad?" I say with the shake of my head. Was she serious? "Do you see me? In case you haven't noticed, my problems are much deeper than getting back on the team. I don't care about that anymore." I mumble the last words and let my gaze fall to my bento box.

"Yes you do," she says, surprising me. "Deep down, you care about being on the squad. I know you do."

I swallow. I couldn't deny that, I guess… "Well, it's not top priority." I mutter.

"Take it one step at a time, Hinata," Amaya says. "There's only so much a girl can take, and you've taken quite a load," she watches me for a moment, reminding me of a silver owl, majestic and stunning yet deeply frightening. She lets her hand fall to her lap as her eyes begin to wander the room. "I think that if you fix things one problem at a time, it will all get better."

"Yeah?" I quirk an eyebrow. "Well who says the order you choose is best? Maybe getting Naruto back should come first."

Her eyes flick back to me. "A wounded heart takes time to heal. It doesn't take much time to slap a bitch across her face," My eyes widen at this. What was she getting at? She made zero sense to me _at all_. "Hinata," she says, and scoots closer toward me so that the edge of the table is digging into her stomach. "I want to get you back on the squad. It's my fault you were kicked off. Please, just let me do this for you."

I sink into my chair so that my shoulder blades are pressing hard against the back of my seat. "Okay," I say with a sigh. "How do you think you're going to get me back on? It's not like Karin will listen to you anyway."

"Maybe not me," she says, her eyes smiling at me mischievously. "But perhaps she'll listen to the rest of the squad?"

I press my lips together as, for the first time in a long time, a net-full of butterflies flutter around in my stomach. "I…Okay," I give her a wry smile. "I trust you."

"Thank you," she whispers as a grin tugs at the corner of her lips. "I won't let you down," I nod at her as she rises from her seat, her eyes wandering again. "You should leave," she says suddenly. "I told Naruto to meet me here."

My eyes widen.

That's right. Just my luck.

…

"Thanks, Sasuke," I say while climbing out of the car. "It really wasn't necessary."

He throws me a _whatever_ look over his shoulder before putting the car back in drive. "Yeah, thanks Sasuke," Sakura says while opening her car door. Sasuke and I share a confused look as the pinkette comes to stand beside me on the sidewalk, slamming her door shut. "See you tomorrow." She says with a wide grin.

"What are you doing?" I ask tentatively. She turns to me with a hurt look.

"I'm coming home with you."

"Um…why?" I inquire, not wanting to sound rude. But, of course, she takes it the wrong way and sticks her nose into the air in a pout.

"Whatever, Hinata; I was just going to comfort you but I can see that you're all better now." She says while reaching for the car door handle. In a split second, Sasuke presses hard on the gas, catching Sakura by surprise. She releases the handle with a gasp as the car speeds away. I almost have to bite back a laugh as I say, "Are you okay, Sakura?"

"He must be out of his _damn mind_," she shouts into the nearly empty street. I shake my head.

"Come on," I say while turning for the front door.

"Really? Now you want me?" she retorts with a faint smile present on her lips.

"I wouldn't say _want…_" I answer, dragging out my sentence with a grin. She shoves me lightly with a laugh before opening the door and walking inside the building. I follow after her, my eyes on the ground. Something about this situation felt…false. I knew I could trust Sakura and that I she had my best interest at heart, but this felt so…artificial. Talking to anyone felt artificial these days. Maybe because I didn't want to talk to them yet I pretended to cheer up; for their sake or for my own, I cannot say. That must have been the fake part. Me.

As we mount the staircase, Sakura's white and pink sneakers making odd sounds against the linoleum, the sound of voices coming from the third floor drifts down towards us. I pause midstep, my head throbbing as a third person begins to speak. I knew that voice all too well. But was I surprised? How could I be when we lived in the same apartment building? But who was Naruto speaking to?

"Sakura," I whisper. She doesn't say anything, but she must have noticed it too. Her back was rigid and her steps were lighter, the squeaking of her shoes lessening. "Sakura," I repeat, my voice trembling with fear. She stops then, turning to face me with a frown.

"It's hid Godfather," she says, and she almost looks as afraid as I feel. My eyes widen. "His Godfather… I'd recognize that voice anywhere."

"You met his Godfather?" I ask, bemused. She nods. "When? How? Why?" I shake my head. "Why?" I repeat.

"Naruto and I were friends back when we were younger, in elementary school and middle school. We stopped talking in seventh grade. Sasuke, Naruto, and I were the best of friends. Sasuke and I came over to his house once to play karuta after a half day at school. That's when his Godfather came home from a business trip to America. Things got ugly fast."

"What do you mean?" I inquire, tears prickling in my eyes.

Sakura lowers her voice. "The man was drunk, as usual, so I was told. He came in with a woman and upon seeing us, he threw a coffee table over our heads. Naruto tried to stop him, tame him, but he wouldn't listen. The woman…she simply stood there in her slutty dress. She was smirking but her eyes showed fear."

"What happened then?" I ask, gripping the railing tighter.

"Naruto roundhoused the man in the side, which gave us some time to escape. He told us to go but once we were out the door, the man slammed the door in our faces and after a second, we heard the sound of Naruto screaming. And the sound of a belt lashing him."

"Oh my Kami…" I murmur.

The voices from upstairs grow louder, and I recognize the third voice as Kiba's. "What if…what if he's in trouble?"

Sakura closes her eyes. "Don't do anything. Naruto wouldn't want that."

"But-"

"Hinata, don't play hero. I know you love him, really, I do. But now…it's not right to get involved, okay? He wouldn't want you to."

Tears are streaming down my flushed cheeks. Kiba's voice rises over the rest, and I can hear his words clearly. "I won't let you touch him again!"

I don't know just what exactly happened to me at that moment, but once Kiba shouted those words, the thirty ton weight in my chest lifted and I felt myself pushing myself up the stairs, shoving Sakura aside and tuning out all of her protests. And then I heard the sound of punching, and my speed increased.

When I reach the third floor, I find Kiba trapped in Jiraiya's headlock and Naruto straddling his Godfather's back, his hands wrapped around the man's neck. My eyes widen and a cry escapes my lips. Naruto's eyes, as if in slow motion, flick to mine, and a look of pure pain is absorbed into his features when he sees me. He releases his grip, dropping to the ground, his eyes never once leaving mine.

Sakura appears at my side then, a gasp escaping her lips at the scene, and her arm encircles mine protectively, drawing me closer to her. "Oh Kami…" she whispers. Her arm is trembling.

Naruto takes a step back, his eyes falling to his hands which are facing palm-side up. He stares at them for a long time with a look of pure terror. "Naruto…" I whisper, but he doesn't respond. The sound of Kiba gasping for air is what brings him back to reality, and without time to think, he lifts his knee up with such force that it rams into Jiraiya's rear end and he stumbles forward, releasing Kiba in his fall. The brunette staggers into the wall, taking in gulps of air, his face flushed red. Sakura lets out a squeak of fear from beside me as the white haired man turns to Naruto with a look of disgust.

He lunges for him then, a growl escaping his lips. Naruto takes him head on, his back slamming into the wall from the weight of the man. "You bastard," Jiraiya roars. Some doors open and heads pop out of the cracks. No one makes a move, and some people even slip back inside their rooms. "You think you're some hot stuff?" he head-butts Naruto, causing a splitting sound to reverberate through the hall.

"Naruto!" I shout, my mind racing so fast that I can't keep up with my own thoughts. "Stop it! Don't hurt him! Stop it, for the love of Kami!" the man, to everyone's surprise, pauses and turns to look at me. His eyes are so cold, so hard, that it takes my breath away. He releases Naruto to turn to me fully, his eyes raking over my body.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he says in a raspy voice. A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips as his eyes find my chest. "What a pretty flower. Naruto, is she yours?" Naruto doesn't say anything.

"Please don't hurt him." I whisper, despite my utter fear of this man. Sakura squeezes my tighter against her as the man turns his attention to her.

"I remember you," he says with a narrowed gaze. "You're the little girl from a few years ago. You've grown, girl," his eyes flick back to me. "Not as much as this girl, but you've got a nice figure, I'll give you that."

Sakura shrinks back. I can feel my stomach twisting in knots as he continues to rake me over. "Naruto, where did you find this one? Hooters? She's definitely a keeper." He chuckles.

"Don't talk about her that way," Naruto growls from behind the man. Jiraiya's smirk melts from his face as he turns to face the blond again.

"What was that?" he asks with malice dripping from his words.

"I said not to talk about her like that. In fact, don't talk about her at all. Don't even look at her-!" Jiraiya slams him into the wall, worsening Naruto's wound. Blood trickles from his head and leads a trail down his temple.

"You'll do well to mind your manners to your old man." Jiraiya shouts.

"You're not my old man!" Naruto screams, and throws his Godfather off of himself. "I don't know where my father found you," he says while wiping the blood from his face with the cuff of his shirt, smearing it across his skin. "But he must have been half asleep when he chose you to be my Godfather. He must have been crazy or something because I know that my father would _never _leave me in the hands of a monster on purpose."

"A monster…" Jiraiya murmurs. "Tell me, boy, do you think your father and I were close friends?"

"Never," Naruto spits.

"Well you're right," Jiraiya says. "In fact, your father and I were sworn enemies. I went to college with him, but after graduation, I taught there for a year and a half. I was maybe four years older than him. Anyway, I was his English teacher. He and I were always close, until Kushina came into the picture. She was so lovely, the only woman I'd give up my "research" for. But she was his, and from the day she chose him, we became enemies."

"Then why…?" Naruto asks with a trembling voice.

"Why?" Jiraiya lets out a long, deep laugh. "Your old man had too many enemies and not enough friends. I was the only one he could turn to."

"So…" Naruto's gaze falls to his feet. "So you hate me because I'm his son… That's why you hate me, isn't it?" he lifts his gaze to meet Jiraiya's.

"No, that's not why," he answers, and takes a step closer. "I hate you because you're _just like_ him. Because when I look at you, I see Minato. And when I look at her," he turns to face me and points a finger in my direction. "I see Kushina. And _that _makes me hate you."

"You've only just met Hinata!" Kiba shouts. "That's bullshit!"

"No," Jiraiya says. A shiver runs down my spine. "I've known her since she was a child. Her mother was one of my research experiments," my eyes widen at this and suddenly, my heart shatters and the broken pieces fall into my stomach and jab me in the sides, sending prickles all over my torso. "She was a fine one, she was. In fact, I'm the reason she and her husband were fighting the week that she died."

My head begins to pound, as if someone had struck me with an oversized hammer. His words replay in my head, echoing, growing louder and more intense.

"I guess you could say I'm the reason she and that bastard husband of hers died."

In a split second, I'm running. I jump into the air, my left leg shooting out to kick him in the chest. My foot makes contact with his drowned-in-cologne dress shirt, and he's flung backwards. I drop to the ground, my chest heaving as sobs begin to wrack my body, and the man falls to the ground, skidding until he hits a wall.

"Get the fuck out!" I scream. "Get out! Get out! Get out!" I clutch my head in my hands and drop to my knees, eyes shutting tightly. I can feel someone's arms around me but I don't recognize any warmth. "Get out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" I repeat these words, aware of just how crazy I must look.

"Out!" I screech. My voice cracks and I can no longer shout, so I whisper the words instead. "Out! Out! Get out of me! Go…out…! Go!"

I don't know when I opened my eyes-I don't remember opening them- but I could see the look of pure shock and fear crossing the man's face as he shuddered on the ground, watching me with wide eyes.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps thunders in my ears, and I see three people rushing towards Jiraiya. One is the landlord, another a woman I don't know. The third is Hana. I watch with blurred vision as the woman holds up a sheet of paper. The three adults begin to argue. Hana rushes over to the four of us, a look of worry etched onto her face.

"Hinata," she says while taking the place of whoever was holding me before. I bury my head into her chest. She smells like a mix of Indian spice and chicken. It's a homey smell that reminds me of her house, and I cling to it with everything I have. "It's okay," she says in a soothing tone. "My mom showed the landlord and Jiraiya the papers," I think she's talking to Kiba, but everyone is listening. "Mom's taking in Naruto. For good."

Suddenly, Hana's warmth leaves me and a different pair of arms envelopes me. This scent is familiar, and oh so comforting. I bury my head into Naruto's warm chest and let myself cry. I cry for my mom and dad, for Naruto, and for myself.

After a long while, I open my eyes and find myself in my room. I didn't remember leaving the hallway, but somehow I'd been taken back to my house. Had I fallen asleep? Had Naruto carried me? That thought brought warmth to my heart.

"Are you feeling alright?" I hear someone say.

At that moment, a million different feelings wash over my being. My whole body turns warm, shivering, and my face flushes with a blush. Happiness overwhelms me and then sadness seizes my heart. My head is racing and throbbing and swimming but it's not a dizzy, sickening feeling. I feel lightheaded, as if intoxicated with love.

I turn to face the culprit by which those feelings come. Naruto is sitting in my desk chair, hunched over his knees. This bothers me, the fact that he won't sit on my bed beside me. He's watching me with a steady gaze.

"Naruto," I whisper.

"I've hurt you again," he murmurs, letting his gaze fall to his clasped hands. "I tried so hard. I detached myself from you, from everything I loved, and yet I still hurt you," he shakes his head. "I'm an unlucky guy."

Tears begin to brim in my eyes. "Love…" I whisper. "You never hurt me."

"Yeah?" he says, his eyes flicking back to mine with an intensity that takes my breath away. "Yeah? I hurt you _so much_, Hinata. I broke your heart. Before our breakup, I broke your heart. Even before that incident in the courtyard, I'd hurt you with the suspicion of my involvement with Amaya. And now… I've hurt you even more," he closes his eyes as tears begin to build and well up. "How can you even look at me? This creature that's connected to the man who…who had to do with your parents'…" he doesn't finish.

I close my eyes too, turning to face the ceiling. I let out a shaky breath. "Naruto, I love you, and I always will. I know you and Amaya had nothing between you. I know that you and Hana have nothing between you now, and the past is the past. I know you meant to keep me from hurting, and that you broke up with me for that reason, because you love me enough to let me go. I know you had nothing to do with my parents' deaths, and I don't blame you for that. I don't blame you for anything. I don't give two shits if you're related to that man! If you were raised by wolves, I'd still love you, Naruto."

Naruto is silent for a few moments. We both have our eyes closed, and we're both sinking in what I've just said. It all came out before I could think. But I didn't regret saying it. He needed to know that. "I…" I open my eyes as he begins to speak. His eyes are still closed. "I love you too."

I crack a small smile, my heart mending back together at those words. "I always will love you," he continues. "Which is why we can't be together." I falter. Wait…seriously? Still!?

"Naruto… I don't understand." I say.

"I love you Hinata, but…I'm too much. I carry so much pain and dump it all on you, even when I don't mean to. I'm sorry," I open my mouth to deny this, but he doesn't let me. "Hey, you're still coming to my Halloween party, right?"

I can feel a bit of hope pinch my heart. "Yes," I whisper. "I'll be there."

"Good," he nods his head. "Good."

And then he leaves.

…

Naruto takes a seat on Kiba's bed, runs his hand through his hair, and lets out a tired sigh. Kiba glances at him briefly. "I'm sorry about today," the brunette says quietly.

"No, it's okay," Naruto says. "I'm sorry," he turns to face him. "Thanks for…you know. I mean, tell your mom I said thanks. I mean, I can tell her but… Yeah, I guess I'll tell her." He closes his eyes. "I'll tell her."

Kiba lets out a laugh. "Damn Naruto, why are you so nervous?" he's quiet for a moment. "What did Hinata say?"

"She said she still loves me and that I didn't hurt her," he shakes his head. "She can't see that I've hurt her. How can she not see that?" he turns to Kiba, as if he has the answer.

"Maybe you're the one who can't see, Naruto," at the blond's look on confusion, he explains, "Maybe she doesn't think you've hurt her. Maybe she loves you so much that the things you've done seem like ant bites. She doesn't take them as seriously as you do. They don't hurt her as much as you think they do. Maybe because she's gone through so much pain…this stuff doesn't hurt."

Naruto doesn't say anything. Instead, he turns to his laptop with a frown and begins to type.

_Dear Girl With the Troubled Mind, _he starts, _Thanks for writing in_. _I believe you've gone through much and need someone to comfort you. No one should walk that path alone._

He pauses.

No one should walk that path alone… But he was letting Hinata walk it alone. No, he was _making_ her walk it alone.

He truly was the cause of her pain.

**A/N: **Okay, a little short and a lot overdue but I've gotten it to you. Happy Easter! ^^ I hope it wasn't too depressing. Comment please :)


	16. Liaisons to Normality

Chapter Sixteen:

Liaisons to Normality

**A/N: **Hey guys :) I've been depressed lately, so it was hard for me to write. I kept writing this chapter over and over and over and finally, I just gave up. Now I'm going to try again. Comment please :)

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

The next day at school is…weird. Different and weird.

Naruto doesn't do everything in his power to ignore me today. In fact, he gives me a large, goofy grin as he enters the classroom and asks me how I am. Then he and Kiba keep talking through our first three periods, causing the teachers to reprimand them, but that doesn't stop them. They continue, back to their old, usual selves. Every so often, they'd throw a glance at me over their shoulders.

At lunch was when it got really weird.

"Sakura, please, I have to use the restroom," I lie while tugging out of her grip. She snatches my shirt sleeve in a last attempt and pulls me toward her.

"You're not eating lunch in the bathroom, Hinata. That's just sad. And gross." Sakura says with a frown.

"I won't," I argue. "I just need to use the restroom!"

"Don't lie to me, Hyuga, I know what you're trying to pull," she says, silencing me. I quit my squirming as she leans closer, lowering her voice. "Look, I know that Naruto's been nicer to you recently. I think it may have something to do with last night. But Hinata, why would you want to avoid him when things are finally looking up?"

I lower my gaze to my clasped hands. "I…don't know. I'm afraid, I think. Of being near him."

She's silent. I don't dare meet her gaze.

"Hinata, what if he wants to get back together with you? You can't avoid him like the plague." Sakura presses softly.

I shrug. "Not like the plague… just like mono…"

"Hinata," Sakura says with a chuckle. She grabs my wrist again and pulls me towards the courtyard. "Come on. We're gonna be late."

I take in a sharp breath as we make our way for the glass doors that lead to the courtyard. Sakura pushes open one of them and a cool breeze washes over us. My attention is turned to the navy blue sky juxtaposed against the green and orange and brown of the trees. I close the door behind us, careful not to let it swing shut, and hurry to catch up to Sakura who's already at our table. Kiba is there, too, with Naruto and Sasuke.

"I think it's going to storm," Kiba says between bites of his barbeque chicken leg. Sakura and I take our seats across from the boys. I don't think I meet any of their gazes, but I can tell that all of them are on me, except for Sasuke's. I stare down at my panda-shaped bento box and twiddle my thumbs in my lap.

"So did anyone read the newspaper today?" Naruto asks, startling us all.

"Um no…" Sakura says, as if the very thought was inane.

"I don't read that bullshit. It's just drama," Kiba adds before tossing his bare chicken bone into the trash bin beside our table. He takes out a Snapple and chugs it. Funny, he didn't look like a Snapple kind of guy.

Naruto nods his head and turns to Sasuke for a hopefully positive answer. The boy just shrugs while finishing his tomato salad. "I'm leaving," he says before rising from the table. "I don't wanna get soaked with the rest of you."

Sakura watches him for a moment, her lips caught between her teeth. "Wait, Sasuke," she says while packing her bento back up. He pauses but doesn't turn to look at her. Sakura untangles herself from the bench and goes to stand beside him. "I'll come with you," she turns to me over her shoulder and throws me a smile. "See you after lunch, Hinata."

I watch her in disbelief. Had she seriously just left me with my former crush and former boyfriend? Seriously? Basically, I could have gone to the bathroom and avoided all of this… She made me come eat lunch with her for _no reason at all_. Damn this!

The three of us are silent as Sasuke and Sakura, our only liaison to a normal lunch, leave. I open my bento, peer inside, and then close it again. I wasn't very hungry.

"Why don't you eat?" Naruto suggests, shaking me from my thoughts. I meet his gaze for the first time and my heart, having been stitched very poorly last night, begins to fall apart again. "You're looking skinny."

A blush spreads across my cheeks at this. He had noticed? Had he been…looking at my body?

I press my lips together as Kiba adds, "Yeah, Hinata, I was surprised when you took down Jiraiya last night. With the way you're looking, I couldn't imagine you being able to kick him down like that."

My blush deepens at this.

Suddenly, raindrops begin to shower down on us. Students are squealing and shouting and rushing for the doors, some even pausing to stand up on the tables and lean their heads back and stick out their tongues. Naruto throws away his paper bag and hops to his feet. "We should get inside," he says, and then mutters, "It's always like that damn Uchiha to be right about everything."

Kiba hurries to his feet and outstretches a hand to me. "Come on," he says. I take his hand and let him help me up. Then we all hurry for the doors. But just as Kiba and I reach the throng of people shoving into the tight space between the two doors, Naruto calls for us to come back. I turn on my heel, my hair plastered to my soaking cheeks, and squint at him. He's motioning for us to come to him, a wide grin on his face.

Kiba and I share a shrug before jogging toward the enthusiastic blond. When we reach him, he shoves us into an alley where the large green dumpsters are. I stumble into Kiba's chest as his hands grip my arms tightly, steadying me. Naruto makes sure the coast is clear before joining us. His hair is out of place, vibrant against the darkness of the sky and alley, as it swathes his cheeks and jaw. His eyes, too, are far too happy for the scene. Rain droplets dance slowly down his tan skin, his clothes now skin tight and see through.

Wait, see through?

I take a quick glance at myself and find that my school uniform has completely fastened itself to my skin, my under garments bleeding through the thin fabric. The purple of my bra is the most noticeable. My eyes widen and I let out a small squeal, spinning in Kiba's arms so that no one can see my chest. I can feel the tenseness in the air as the two are silent.

Finally, Kiba says with a chuckle, "I don't think this is the best place to get frisky, Hina."

My cheeks burn hotter at this statement and I squeeze my eyes shut to keep myself from completely losing it. I could feel my head swimming; it was as if I was on a rocking ship at a stormy sea. Suddenly, the image of a crowbar coming my way flashes through my mind and I wince, jerking back.

Naruto and Kiba both call my name but I can no longer register anything else. Someone catches me and holds me in their arms. I keep my eyes shut tightly, my whole body trembling. After a few minutes, the headache retreats and I can hear and sense again. I open my eyes to find Kiba hovering over me, his brows merged together. So if Kiba was before me then the person whose arms I was in had to be Naruto…

I let out a small cough, shivering. "Are you alright, Hinata?" Kiba asks. "What happened?"

I cling to Naruto, my whole body in a state of shock. I had no idea what had happened… I'd seen the crowbar that day at the school fair, too. What was that? What was happening to me?

"Hinata," Naruto says, dragging me out of the muck of my thoughts. I can finally recognize the warmth that comes from his arms and chest. "Hinata, look at me." I let my eyes flutter open to find Naruto's azure gaze boring into mine. A blush quickly spreads from the top of my head down to my neck. "Hinata, what happened?"

"I…" I lick my lips. How did I explain _that?_ "I…um… I don't know what happened. I just…saw something coming at me…"

No one says anything to this.

The bell rings for lunch to be over and Kiba and Naruto share a look. I watch them exchange glances, something hidden behind their eyes that only they can register. Then Kiba rises to his feet. "I'll see you guys in class. I'll go tell our sensei that you two will be late." And then he's gone, out into the now light drizzling.

Naruto doesn't make a move or a sound. I stay in his arms, trying to drink in as much heat from him as I can. Then he says, "You should take my jacket," my eyes widen as I glance down at my chest to find it still revealed. He shrugs off his school jacket and drapes it over me, helping me up in the process.

"Naruto…" I cling to the jacket, my teeth chattering.

He doesn't answer, but instead reaches out both hands and pulls my damp hair back into a ponytail so that it isn't in my face anymore. I watch with wide eyes as he snatches a rubber band from his pocket and ties my hair at the nape of my neck. Then he grabs my wrist and pulls me out of the alley, a frown on his face.

Was he…mad? Was that meant to be touching? Honestly, it sort of freaked me out… He looked so fumed. Was he…?

When we enter the school, the warmth from the building caresses my skin, causing a shiver of pleasure to roll up my arms. I smile faintly at the feeling. "Do you wanna stop by the bathroom first?" he asks. His gaze is forward.

"Um…I don't have any extra clothes to change into." I say shyly.

"I do,"

My eyes widen as he leads me towards the gym. "No, Naruto, I can't wear your-" he turns to me then, his hand grasping my wrist more tightly. I hadn't even noticed that he'd still been holding onto me.

"Hinata, if I let you go in there in this condition, every guy in that damned room is going to be staring at you," he says, and then blushes. He turns away and begins to walk again.

"Do you…" I swallow. "Do you care if they do?"

Naruto snorts. "They say I'm the oblivious one."

Something crushes my heart at that moment. I couldn't decipher whether it was a good kind of feeling or a bad one, but it made me frown. I stay silent as he leads me into the guy's dressing room. No one had gym fifth period, so it was safe to enter, but it still made my cheeks flush.

Naruto reaches into his gym locker and pulls out a pair of sweatpants after he sniffs them to make sure they're clean. He tosses them to me and then begins to dig through the rest of his clothes, finding the kitten shirt I'd worn for my cheer tryouts, and handing it over. "Thank you," I whisper while staring down at the bundled clothes in my arms. He shrugs and pulls out another pair of sweatpants and an orange tee shirt.

"Let's hope we don't get yelled at for wearing this stuff to class," he says before motioning for me to take a stall. I do so and then change into my new attire, taking a moment to appreciate Naruto's scent which lingered on his clothes. I smile at this. I would get to smell him all day. What a blessing.

Once I'm done changing, I step out of the stall and turn toward the mirror. Naruto had done a pretty okay job at tying my hair back, but my bangs were standing up every which way. I smooth them out over my forehead, running my fingers through the blue strands, and then turn back to Naruto, who is watching me.

"What?" I ask tentatively with, no doubt, a blush.

"Nothing," he says with the shake of his head before leading me back to class.

His shirt was bigger on me than it had been the last time I'd worn it. I don't mention this, and even though I know Naruto noticed, he doesn't either. I really needed to start eating again.

…

After school, I head to the library to meet up with Amaya. She'd told me this morning to wait for her here, mumbling something about getting me back onto the squad. It wasn't something urgent or drastic, even, but it was something. Some sort of familiar piece from my past that would connect me to normality.

I head down the hall that's decorated with all of the art projects from this first semester. There's everything ranging from self portraits to collages of exotic animals. I admire one charcoal drawing of an African slave staring into space, the silhouettes of two men shining in her eyes. One is pointing a gun and the other is on the floor, sprawled into a fatal position. My eyes drift to the bottom of the page to find the artist's name, and my eyebrows rise when I find that it's Sai's work. I knew Sai was artistic but never this artistic. I'd only ever spoken with him twice at student government meetings back when I was still on the council.

"Hey Hinata," someone says, startling me. I twist around, surprised to find Sakura standing behind me instead of Amaya. She's clutching her pink and red polka dotted bag to her side, a stack of books slipping from their place on her hip. She gives me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for ditching you at lunch today."

"It's okay," I mumble before turning back to the drawing of the slave. Sakura comes up beside me so that our shoulders are brushing.

"Kiba told me about what happened at lunch. In the alley, I mean," she starts again. I swallow, my eyes falling to my feet. "What was that, exactly?"

"I'm not sure." I say slowly.

"Well what happened? I mean, from an insider's point of view."

I sigh, turning to face her. "I'm not sure what it was, but it's not the first time this has happened."

"When was?" she inquires. I turn away.

"At the school festival."

Neither of us says a word. Sakura pushes away from the wall to glance at the sea-life sculptures in the display case behind us. "You know, maybe it's something serious." She murmurs.

"Who knows?"

"Yeah," there's a pause of silence. "Maybe you're schizophrenic?"

I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. "That is most definitely not the case," I say, almost bitterly.

"Well then what is? You sound so sure of yourself," the pinkette counters while coming back to stand beside me.

What was I to say to that? Why was she pressing this so far, anyway? I was _seeing _things. Big deal. Everyone's seen a shadow crawl behind them at least once in their life. It was probably paranoia or something.

I don't say anything to her, opting for the silent treatment in hopes of her leaving me alone. She doesn't, though, and instead twists me around so that we're eye to eye and presses her nose against mine. I hold my breath, staring into her emerald gaze with wide eyes. "Hinata, I'm worried about you. Please, go to the doctor. Or at least go to Sasuke. He knows a lot about medical stuff," she pulls away, her voice lowering the tiniest bit. "He knows a lot about everything."

I close my eyes, my face flushing from lack of air. It felt as if I had a million tiny hearts throbbing inside every crevice of my brain. I suck in a small breath and hold it. Sakura releases my shoulders and turns around, allowing me to release my breath. My mind empties as I concentrate on my breathing, heart thrumming rapidly inside me.

"Hinata?"

I open my eyes to find Amaya staring at me questionably. I blink, gaze wandering the halls for Sakura. But the pinkette was gone. "Who are you looking for?" the silverette inquires.

"No one," I breathe.

"You look red. Are you okay?" Amaya places a cool hand to my forehead and frowns. "You're awfully warm."

"I'm okay," I lie, to which she quirks a brow. Changing the topic, I say, "So where are we going?"

She takes the bait and turns toward the end of the hall. "The gym," she answers, and begins to walk. "Come on."

I catch up to her so that we're walking side by side, her floor length, blue and red flowered dress whispering across the floor and occasionally tickling my ankles. I take the tiniest of steps away from her and clear my throat. "What's the plan?"

"There is no plan," she answers, to which I frown.

"No plan?" I say. "Are you punking me?"

"Nope," she shakes her head. "I think with one look at you, they'll be on our side."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask defensively.

"Nothing," she says, and turns the corner. "It just means that they care about you. One doesn't turn away from a lost and beaten puppy."

"You're comparing me to an abused dog?" I almost smile at this. I guess in a way I was lost and beaten.

"Nope. Just its soul." She opens the doors to the gym and leads me inside. She points toward the bleachers. "Take a seat. The cheer team will be here in two minutes. Karin will show up in ten minutes, the usual practice time. That's when we bag her."

"Bag her?" I gasp, turning on my heel to stare disbelievingly at Amaya. She grins.

"Metaphorically speaking."

I shake my head, letting out a breathy laugh. Amaya really wasn't too bad. In fact, I was almost looking forward to the Halloween party now. It was, what, two weeks away? What was I going to wear? Sakura would surely have costumes for us.

Amaya takes a seat beside me and gives me a shy smile. "So…" she says.

"Are you still going to Naruto's party?" I ask, coming right out with it. Amaya looks surprised.

"Oh, um, yes. Are you?"

"Mhm," I say, and turn to face my lap. "Although…I'm not sure how well it will work out."

"Don't be afraid," Amaya says. "This is your chance. This is your chance to get him back. Take this opportunity. Don't let it slip."

I nod, the corner of my lips tugging into a smile. How is it that Amaya can make me smile even in the worst of situations? We weren't even friends, really.

Suddenly, the doors open and the light from the hall spills inside the gym. The whole cheer team, excluding Karin, saunters in unknowingly, Karin and Ino being the first ones to enter. Amaya stands up then, her dress swishing magically with her movement. I follow suit, albeit more clumsily, my shoes squeaking against the floorboards, which alerts the girls of our presence. Ino and Fuka are the first to glance our way, and then the rest of them turn. All but Hana, who continues toward the center of the gym.

The brunette sets her bag down in the center where the most light excels and crouches down, unzipping it obliviously. Ino is the first to speak. "Hana?" everyone turns their attention toward the girl. A sudden chill runs down my spine. Was she ignoring m on purpose?

"This is pathetic," Fuka mutters while crossing her arms over her chest. "Get your fat ass out of here, Shyguy. No one wants you and your ugly bitch-ass self here."

Hana erects, now on her feet, and slowly turns to face me. Everyone is silent, even Fuka, who looks almost fearful. I hold my breath. "Hinata?" Hana says quietly but just loud enough for me to hear from the bleachers. I swallow. "What are you doing here?"

"She's obliviously looking for sympathy," Fuka cuts in.

Amaya steps forward with a gentle smile. "I know all of you are friendly, despite your disposition," she starts.

"Hey," Kin shouts. "You're the one who wrote that article about us!"

The rest of the girls murmur in agreement, curse words lifting from the tangle of words. Amaya doesn't address their anger, but instead continues. "Girls, please. Hinata here has something to say to you. I think the both of us would appreciate it if you have her the respect she deserves."

I turn to her with wide eyes. "You never said anything about a speech!" I whisper loudly, to which she shrugs.

"Please, give Hinata a moment to address her point."

I catch Fuka and Kin rolling their eyes. The rest of the girls are quiet, though, their expressions solemn. Amaya gives me a light shove forward, and without a second's thought, I say, "Hi guys," Fuka lets out a snort. "Um…I was just, uh… Well, I…You see, I want to, um…"

"You want _what,_ pretty eyes?" Fuka shouts from the doorway. This obviously wasn't a compliment, but I decide to take it as one, just for a small boost of confidence.

"Fuka, be quiet," Hana says. "Let her speak or else I'll take you out back and teach you some manners."

A hush falls over the entire group. Fuka looks at me sourly.

"What Hinata is trying to say," Amaya says. "Is that she wants to be back on the squad." A blush creeps up my neck and spreads to my cheeks at the look of uneasiness that crosses some of the girls' faces.

"Back on the squad?" Kin reiterates. "Karin already kicked her off. She's not getting back on."

"Well, why not?" Amaya counters politely. "Why does Karin dictate over you guys?"

Kin is stunned into silence at this statement.

"Because," Fuka says. "She's our leader and best friend. You don't betray friends," she turns her gaze to me. "Besides, no one likes this Stalker anyway."

"I like her," Ino says quietly. Fuka turns to her, brows meeting at the center.

"What did you just say?" the magenta-haired beauty asks between gritted teeth.

"I said that I like her." Ino repeats in a slightly louder voice.

"Me too," Matsuri chimes in shyly. Sasame, who's clinging to Matsuri's arm timidly, agrees.

"Yeah," Temari adds from the back of the group. "She's not too bad a person. And she's a great cheerleader."

"She's not too bad a friend, either." Hana says with a grin.

Tears begin to prick in the corners of my eyes at this. Hana…still liked me? Even though I was such a bitch to her? And everyone else… I never knew they felt that way…

"Now's your chance," Amaya whispers to me. I nod, grinning like a madman.

"I want to be back on the squad," I shout so everyone can hear me. I straighten up, confidence peaking. "I want to be friends with all of you, and I want to work with all of you as cheer mates and classmates."

"Is that so?"

Everyone turns toward the doors on the opposite side of the gym to find Karin standing there, bad by her feet and arms crossed over her chest. She's wearing a smirk on her face, eyes narrowed on me. "So you want back on the squad? You want to be part of the in crowd again?"

"No," I say, confidence now deflating. "I don't want to be in the in crowd. I just want to be on the cheer team with all of my friends. It has nothing to do with popularity."

"Who said anything about being popular?" Karin says. "All I was speaking of was being "in." Face it, Zippers, all you want is to be noticed, recognized, _accepted._"

"That's not true," I say quietly, shrinking back.

"Isn't it? I know what you're up to. That's why you dated Naruto. That's why you mess around with Kiba. You want to be noticed, and playing with guys like a little skank isn't even too low for you."

"I don't mess around with Kiba!" I shout defensively. "And I didn't date Naruto because I wanted to be noticed!"

"Then why did you?" Fuka asks. I turn to her, shocked that she opened her mouth. During those few seconds, it felt as if Karin and I were the only ones in the room… She doesn't watch me bitterly, though, nor with hatred. She looks hurt.

"I…because I love him." I answer slowly.

"That's pathetic," Karin chimes in. "You couldn't have loved that bucket of garbage. He's nothing better than a sack of dirty condoms. He's unable to be loved and unable to return that love. What you were living was a fairytale, a _mirage_. It never happened, except for in your head."

Fuka bursts into tears at that moment, falling to her knees. Kin drops down beside her, wrapping an arm around her heaving shoulders. Sasame, Matsuri, and Ino turn to her worriedly. I catch Temari and Hana sharing a look, one with a hidden message behind it.

"How can you say that?" Amaya shouts to Karin in a voice that I'd never heard her use. I turn to her and find an angry expression on her face, one that didn't suit her at all. She glances at me, her expression softening, and then turns back to Karin. "How can you say that when you don't even know what love is!?"

Something wet drops onto my bare arms, and that's when I notice for the first time that tears are streaming down my cheeks. I wipe at them in embarrassment.

"Neither do you, you freak of nature!" Karin shouts back. "How could anyone love you, with your freakish white hair and your damn proverbs?! No one gives two shits!"

"Hey!" I shout. Hana, Temari, Amaya, and Karin turn to me in astonishment. "I happen to like her proverbs! How could anyone _not_ love her? She's kind and generous and sweet and smart. She's more of a friend than you would ever be to anyone!"

Karin scowls. "Listen, you wench-"

She's cut off by Fuka, who's now on her feet, Kin and Ino bolstering her with open arms. She turns to Karin, mouth set in a firm line. "I want her on the squad, too." She says, to which I gasp.

"Me too," Kin adds firmly.

Karin shakes her head, gaze narrowing on them. "You little bitches," she says. Suddenly, the doors behind her open slowly, quietly, and a smirk appears on her face. "Sorry, everyone," she shouts. "But we can't have two Hyuga's on this squad."

My brows furrow at this. Hana and I share a look, and then, before anyone can say anything, my little sister enters the gym. My breath catches in my throat as she stands beside Karin, a look of confusion on her face. She cocks her head. "What's going on?" she asks Karin indirectly, her gaze wandering the gym. But then her eyes meet mine and she freezes.

"Sorry, Hinata," Karin sneers. "No open spots."

**A/N: **Sorry if that was bad :T I've had writer's block lately. Please comment! :)


	17. Signed, Miserylovesme

Chapter Seventeen:

~Signed, Miserylovesme

**A/N: **Hi guys :) Hope you liked the last chappie. I got my singing voice back, so I'm really happy about that ^^ Bruno Mars, you healed me U.U haha anyway, my mom and dad said that if I get straight As next year, they'll take me to Japan! So that means I'll be working extra hard next year. Thus, I may need to take a small break from writing :( So let's hope we finish this story and my other two that are stuck in my head before next year! Comment please! :)

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

Just two weeks ago, the leaves were clinging to the dark branches of the trees as if their lives depended on it, their orange and yellow and red coats creating somewhat of a watercolor so that when you looked through the forest, all you could see was a blur of colors. Now the leaves were brown and dead and the trees were barren, looking sickly and thin as rails. This change in scenery meant that death was looming upon us, and that Halloween was just three days away.

I stop by Sakura's locker before lunch to take a peek at the "surprise." She'd been keeping it from me for a week now, and this morning she'd announced that I could finally see it today during school. I had no clue as to why she would make me wait until now, during school, to see it, but I didn't care. I was finally going to see the surprise. _Our costumes_.

When I reach the pinkette's locker, I find both she and Sasuke are standing before each other, staring into each other's eyes intensely. I shrink into myself and hurry behind the corner, concealing all but the right side of my face so that I can spy. Sure, it was wrong, but I was desperate to know what was going on between those two. Sakura was always fawning over him and Sasuke, well, he acted like he cared at times and then at others, like he didn't.

I quiet my breathing to hear their words more clearly.

"Come on, Sasuke. Please, you know how much this means to her. You know how much it would mean to both of them," Sakura says desperately. The raven haired boy closes his eyes, a tight wrinkle forming on the edge of his left eyebrow.

"Sakura, I already told you that it's their own battle. So let them fight it alone."

"How can you say that?" Sakura stomps her foot on the ground. "How can you watch your best friend being ripped apart inside? How can you watch Hinata-" I gasp silently at the sound of my name. Were they talking about Naruto and me? Sasuke places a hand over Sakura's mouth, quieting her. I watch her back erect and then go limp in what I can't tell but think is defeat.

"Don't talk so loudly," he says in a quieter voice. "Someone may hear you," He lets his hand fall back to his side. "Now listen to me. I can talk to Naruto about it and ask him how he feels, but I'm not playing matchmaker, and neither are you. Just let them fix things on their own."

Sakura pouts. "But Sasuke… I just care for them. I know you do too."

Sasuke rolls his eyes and then lets his frown turn up a little into somewhat of a smile. "I know you do," he says, and takes her into his arms. "You've always been kind to everyone."

"So have you. From the inside." Sakura whispers.

Sasuke releases her and then turns on his heel. "Aren't you supposed to meet up with Hinata right about now?" Sakura blinks, surprised.

"How did you-?"

Sasuke glances over his shoulder at her and smirks. "Like you said, from the inside." And then he saunters down the hall, leaving Sakura alone by her locker. The background noises, which I now realize were never there in the first place, die down. It must have been the rushing sound in my ears that made me think they weren't alone in the hall. But they were.

Sakura turns to her closed locker and slams her forward against it. I take this chance to emerge from behind the corner, steady my breathing, and plaster on a fake smile. So Sakura was really that worried about me? Maybe I should act chipper, for her sake. But what really surprised me was that _Sasuke _cared. All this time, I thought he wanted me dead.

"Hi," I say while taking my place beside her. Sakura turns to me, startled, and lets out a breathy laugh.

"Oh. Hi," She says, and grabs her bag from where it sits beside her feet on the floor. She hikes it over her shoulder and grins even wider, more convincingly. "Come on, lunch will be over in fifteen minutes."

I follow her down the hall until we reach the interior/fashion design classroom, which also serves as the home economics and child development room. She opens the door and leads me inside, setting her bag down and coming to a stop at a closet. She opens it to reveal shelves labeled with the names of students.

"Sakura, I didn't know you had this class." I say in bewilderment.

"I don't. I come here after school on Thursdays for practice with sewing," she answers while opening one of the plastic bins labeled "Sakura." I come over to her and watch as she takes out a stack of folded clothes and places them onto the table behind her. "These are our costumes," she says eagerly. "You ready?" I nod, to which she unravels the stack.

My jaw drops as Sakura lifts up one of the dresses. It's crimson with small jewels peppering the surface. A shimmering green vine wraps around the entirety of the dress, starting from the butt and twisting around the torso until it reaches the center of the chest, right in between the breasts where a large cherry blossom rests, a pink jewel glistening in the center. The vine is dotted with tiny flowers and rubber thorns. Its length reaches mid thigh and it's sleeveless.

Sakura grins at my reaction. "This is mine. I'll call myself _Wallflower_." She drawls.

"Oh my gosh, Sakura, where did you get that?" I exclaim in awe.

"I made it," she says, beaming. "With the help of Amaya."

My gaze flicks to hers. "Amaya helped you?" she nods. I turn back to the dress. "That's incredible." I breathe.

"You should see the shoes," Sakura states. "They're at home but they're red heels with the toe throng being a vine."

"This is perfect for you!" I squeal. I couldn't wait to see mine!

"Okay, that's enough drooling," she says with a laugh, and sets down my dress to instead pick up mine. "This is yours."

What she lifts up takes my breath away. The material is a midnight blue with small flecks of a different shade of blue that I can't name. It isn't a dress as I'd thought, though. This piece of clothing had pants that were attached to the torso. The pants were the same color but as my eyes went lower and lower, I could see a transition from the silk of the torso to a kind of mesh material. They rippled at the ankles, and then tightened with elastic. My eyes trailed back up to the torso, and I found that it was a V neck with a shimmering opal in the center that almost resembled a full moon.

It had sleeves, too. They were made of the same mesh material as the pant legs were, and they were loose. They rippled all the way toward the wrist and then clasped with an elastic, just as the pant legs had done. But the sleeves were a different color. They transitioned from the midnight blue to a lighter blue, like the sky when it's going to rain but then doesn't, and then finally, shifted to a dazzling silver.

Sakura motions for me to hold the outfit and then takes the sleeves and lifts them high into the air. My breath catches in my throat as the loose sleeves make the wings of a silver-blue butterfly. She takes the dress back into her arms and smiles at me. "It comes with this," she says, and sets down the dress. Then she takes up a small mask. It covers the right eye and has a clasp to the side, like when you put on your glasses, so that it can rest on my ear. It's in the shape of a butterfly, the edges shooting out toward the temple. It's black with silver lining and hints of dark blue.

"The shoes are at my house," she says. "They're silver pumps," After a moment of silence, she sets down the mask and stares at me. "What do you think?"

I didn't want to do it, and I really couldn't believe that I had, but after a moment of just staring at her in awe, I burst into tears.

She takes me in her arms with a laugh. "What's wrong? Am I that bad?"

I slap her upside the head, to which she stops laughing and pulls back to look at me, mouth agape. I laugh. "You idiot. This is…perfect." I breathe. She grins and squeezes me tighter.

"I'm so glad you like it." She says.

"Where's Amaya's dress?" I ask.

"I don't know. She didn't let me help her with it," Sakura says, and pulls away. She begins to pack everything up again. "Come on. I think the bell's going to-" the bell rings, signaling lunch to be over and cutting her off.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." I say with a laugh.

I really couldn't have.

…

When I get home that afternoon, I find Neji and Hanabi on the couch in the living room. Hanabi is sitting with her hands clasped in between her knees and a frown on her face, eyes downcast. Neji is watching her with arms crossed over his chest. He turns to me when I walk through the door. "Hi Hinata," he says. I greet him back and set my bag down on the floor. "How was school?"

He was beginning to sound like a parent. And look like one. The things stress can do to a guy. "It was great," I say, and come towards them. Hanabi and I hadn't spoken since that afternoon in the gym. She avoided me whenever possible and never looked me in the eye. She even started going to school and staying after just to get away from me.

When Karin had arrived with Hanabi, I had run out, Amaya trailing after me. Shockingly, Amaya was the one crying, not me. When I asked her why she was so upset, she'd said, "It was my duty to get you back on the squad. I've failed."

Hana had come out, too, along with Ino and Temari. That's when I apologized to her for everything. She'd accepted and told me not to worry, that she would definitely find a way to get me back on. But that didn't matter anymore. Now that Hanabi was thrown into this, I couldn't have anything to do with cheerleading again.

"What's going on here?" I ask.

"Nothing," Neji says with a sigh, and pinches the brink of his nose. "Hanabi and I were just having a chat."

"He wants me to move out." Hanabi says.

Neji turns to her with a look of both shock and horror. My jaw drops at not only her words, but also the fact that she had spoken. "Hanabi!" Neji says with a raised voice.

"He wants what?!" I exclaim while turning to Neji. "You want what?"

"He wants me to move out because I'm too much trouble!" Hanabi shouts while hopping to her feet. Tears are pooling in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. "He hates me! He says I'm a whore and a terrible, dirty person. A terrible sister."

"Neji…" I turn to him with wide, fearful eyes. How could he have said that? I was the one she'd hurt and_ I_ didn't even say it. I could never say it. "How could you…?"

Just then, the door opens and in walks Tenten, a doggy bag from the dango shop down the street in her left arm and a chicken and pork dumpling in her right hand. She pauses, turns from Neji, to Hanabi, to me, and then back to Neji, and then walks back into the hallway, closing the door silently.

"Tenten," Neji calls, and a moment later, the brunette appears again, the dumpling gone and her cheeks bloated. She makes a mumbling sound, to which Neji sighs. "I've made a decision about Hanabi."

"You can't kick her out," I say. "She has nowhere else to go."

"Oh yes she does," Neji says, and reaches for his back pants pocket. He pulls out what looks to be a brochure and the room grows thick with tenseness.

"No, Neji," Tenten breathes while setting down her bag on the counter. She comes to him, hands gripping his arm. "No."

"Yes," he says. "It's an all-girl military camp."

"No!" Tenten and I shout in unison. Hanabi doesn't say anything, but instead reached for the lamp next to the couch and lifts it in the air. It comes crashing down onto the carpet by Neji's feet. I wince, turning away as another round of tense silence fills the room, suffocating the four of us.

"You can't make me go." Hanabi hisses before marching toward her room.

Tenten and I share a look of fear, and then the brunette takes Neji into her arms before he can go after my little sister. Heaven knows what he'd do to her if he got the chance. She hushes his harsh breathing, stroking his hair. "Hinata, can you clean this up, please?" she asks. Without a word, I go to retrieve the broom, leaving the two in the living room, Tenten whispering soothing words to Neji.

When I come back, Neji is gone and Tenten is kneeling on the ground, picking up the bigger pieces. I come to her side and begin sweeping. "Where'd he go?" I inquire in a hushed tone.

"He left," she says. "He left to find Kiba."

"Why Kiba?"

"He thinks maybe…maybe he'll let Hanabi-"

"No," I say. "Absolutely not."

"Hinata, it's either that or boot camp." Tenten says while taking the dustpan and emptying it into the trash. I set the broom on the ground.

"No it's not," I say. "Kiba already has Naruto staying with him. They can't afford to feed and house that many people."

"Then what else is there?" Tenten shouts, and then frowns. "Sorry."

I shake my head.

"There isn't."

…

I find myself walking along the side of the road, phone clutched in my hand just in case someone tried to grab me. Neji wanted to send Hanabi to a military camp, and if that wouldn't work, Kiba's house. How could he be so selfish as to drag Kiba and his family into this? They had enough to deal with already. And how could he be so stupid! Hanabi needed to be brought up like a normal teenage girl. She had neither a mother nor a father. How could Neji expect her to be a good girl?

The same way he expected me to be a good girl. I was brought up a good girl through fear. But Hanabi wasn't afraid of Neji. She wasn't afraid of anyone. That girl could bite through a cinderblock. I wouldn't be surprised if she could bite Neji's head off…

But was military camp really the only option? The best option? Sure, it would help her to think straight and get herself together but…fear and brutality isn't the way to better a person. It takes love and kindness… Hanabi needed someone with her. She needed a sister.

It must be my fault. I'm never there for her. I'm never…

"Hinata?"

I start, eyes wide and heart thrumming erratically in my chest. I whip my head to the side to find Sasuke staring at me from behind a large iron gate. Behind him is a large house with stone panels and landscaping so nice that it could be used to decorate a cake. "Hinata, watch out!" he shouts, and pulls me into his chest as a car whizzes past us. I can feel the heat from the metal of the car and the warm air that stings my back. It must have been really close to me.

I blink. How had Sasuke gotten to me so quickly? I pull away from him, a blush dusting my cheeks, and avert my gaze toward the open gate, one large door swinging lazily back and forth in the wind. "Are you okay?" he asks. I tilt my chin up so that I'm looking into his eyes.

"Yes?" I answer, although I say it as a question.

He chuckles and releases me. "You sure?" I nod. "Okay then. What are you doing walking on the side of the road? Do you need a ride somewhere?"

"No," I say. He motions for me to follow him and I do. He leads me into his backyard, which has sweet smelling grass, a stone patio, koi pond, and hammock. It looked like a serene meditation area. He motions for me to take a seat beside him on the hammock. Our knees brush against each other.

Why was Sasuke being so kind to me? What had gotten into him? Normally, he would have looked my way and said hi. On a good day. On a normal one, he probably would have let me been hit by the car. On a bad day? I didn't even want to think about what would happen to me on that kind of day.

Wait…had it been the talk that he and Sakura had shared before lunch? Is that why he was being so nice to me?

"So why are you walking on the side of the road, then? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he asks, pulling me from my thoughts. I shaky my head and squirm in my spot beside him, trying to scoot away from his left thigh but instead doing just the opposite. Sasuke smirks at this. "I don't have cooties."

I stop my squirming immediately. "I was thinking…" I say quietly, hands clasped in my lap.

"About what?"

"A lot of things," I say. "I have a lot of things to think about right now."

"About Naruto, you mean?" Sasuke says.

I blush. "Yeah. He's one of them." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear as a breeze blows idly by.

"Sakura told me about how Hanabi and the cheer team," Sasuke says. My eyes widen and I turn to him in awe. He smiles. "Don't worry about it. They can't put Hanabi on the squad anyway. She isn't in high school."

"Well, for now, she isn't," I say, and then sigh. "Or maybe she never will be."

"Are you two fighting?" he inquires.

Naruto was right. Sasuke is right about everything.

"Yeah," I mumble. "Neji wants to send her to military school."

"Ah,"

Silence hangs between us, but it isn't the tense, thick, awkward silence that normally scares me half to death. It's a quiet, meditative silence, as if Sasuke were thinking about my words. The pond water trickled gaily down the miniature stone waterfall, and in the distance, the sound of children laughing.

Sasuke lived in such a nice area. I didn't even know there were children in the world until just now. It's like I'd been shoved into a box, separated from the world, shoved in with all of my problems and worries, suffocating from lack of air and freedom. From the lack of people, the world. _Experiences_. This was an experience, a memory, that I was bound to keep close to my heart. It was one of the only good ones I had.

"Maybe you should write in," Sasuke says, once again breaking me away from the confinements of my mind. I turn to him, brows furrowed. "The advice column, I mean. Maybe you should write in."

"The advice column?" I laugh. "Are you being serious or…?" Sasuke's smile melts away and is replaced with his usual frown. I guess in order to keep him content, you have to go with everything he says. I clear my throat, turning away. "I would…but it's not exactly something I'd like the school to know about."

"You write in anonymously," Sasuke says, his frown slipping.

I sigh. "I guess I could give it a try."

Suddenly, Sasuke places a hand over mine, startling me out of my mind. I stare at him in disbelief. He smiles. "I swear that if you do, things will get better."

"How?" I whisper. "How do you know?"

He falters, and then licks his lips. "Because you need someone to talk to...That's the only way for scars to heal. Trust me."

Suddenly, the back doors slide open and someone who looks like Sasuke but older by a few years pokes his head out of the house and smiles cheerfully at the two of us. "Dinner will be ready soon, Sasuke. It's your favorite. Tomato-"

"Okay, Itachi, thanks." Sasuke interrupts boredly.

Itachi frowns but slides the door closed, nonetheless.

""So you know what you have to do, right?" Sasuke asks, back to his usual, annoyed self. I nod. "Okay. Then go home and get writing." He rises to his feet and stares down at me expectantly. I follow suit, clumsily, and the hammock swings back with a loud squeal. Sasuke smirks.

"Hey Sasuke," I say while rubbing my arm shyly. "Who's Itachi?"

He frowns. "My older brother."

"Oh…"

"Get home," he says, and leads me around the house toward the front gate. "Don't get hit by any cars."

"I'll try," I say, and then pause. "Oh, you'll be at Naruto's party, right?"

"Yeah,"

"Okay. Good." I grin at him and then, with a wink, something I had _never_ believed myself capable of doing, I add, "Sakura's going to look really, _really_ good. Just a head's up."

Sasuke doesn't say anything, doesn't react at all. With that, I turn around and start back for my house. Boy, did I have a letter to write.

…

"Okay," I mutter under my breath. I wiggle my fingers, which hover just above my keyboard. What did I say? Did I ask Chieko what to do? Did I tell her about my problems and ask her if everything would be okay? Would she even care?

Of course she wouldn't, but she must get some kick out of listening to people's problems, or else she wouldn't have started this column. But who was Chieko? Someone in my school would know about my problems… Was it really worth it? How could Chieko even carry the burden of all of these secrets on her shoulders, anyway? I could never do it…

Oh great. I was mind rambling.

I inhale slowly, my eyes losing as my fingertips tap against the keys of my laptop. And then I let it all pour out of me. I let all of it go. All of it.

I talk about Hanabi, of course, not really using her name, and I talk about how terrible and irresponsible the choices that she makes are. I talk about Neji and Tenten, again, not using their names, and how they're always fighting, how they act like a married couple and how it breaks my heart to see Neji hurt my best friend all of the time. How it hurts to see him hurt Hanabi, and me too.

I talk about cheering, but instead of putting cheering, I say _a sport_. Everyone in school knew about what had happened. About how I'd been kicked off the squad and how I tried to get back on but wasn't allowed. So if I put cheering, then everyone would know it was me.

I write about how much I want to be back on the squad, and how I miss being with the girls. I talk about how I actually liked being a part of a group and how everyone made me feel at home. Well, mostly everyone.

I talk about Sakura and Sasuke and how I wish the dumb Uchiha would just realize Sakura's feelings and quit toying with her. I wrote about how I wanted to see her genuinely happy for once. I also add that Sasuke scares me and that I'm afraid he may hurt Sakura.

And then, lastly, I talk about Naruto.

…_and I'm really afraid that this guy may hurt my best friend because he's really scary and mean, and he's especially mean to her, but she doesn't care. She's head over heels in love with him._

_Also, I've been having boy troubles. This guy and I were dating for a month or two and, well, I'm completely in love with him. I love him so much and I know he loves me too. He has to. But he broke up with me because he was afraid of hurting me. He still is, and he won't look at me or talk to my normally, although we do speak sometimes. I just feel so far away from him, and I want him to know how much I care. He's just…he's my everything. I've loved him since middle school. He's cute and funny and although he's sometimes dense, he's actually really smart. He always takes care of me and, well, I feel really safe and secure when I'm in his arms… I miss being in his arms. I miss how strong and warm they were when he'd wrap them around me. I miss listening to music with him. I miss everything! I want him back and I'm dying over it. _

_Please, Chieko, if you care, tell me what to do. Enlighten me. Guide me. I've nowhere to turn. You're my last hope. _

_Signed, _

I pause, my breath slowing. I hadn't even noticed how worked up I'd gotten until just now. That was…intense… So how did I sign this? Anonymous was too boring, too predictable. I smile and finish, the perfect name in mind.

_Signed, _

_Miserylovesme. _

**A/N: **How was it? Please comment! :D I love it when you guys do!


	18. Thriller Night

Chapter Eighteen:

~Thriller Night

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I hope you're all enjoying the story so far! Please comment ^^

To the guest reviewer: I will not be continuing Avatar: Legend of Naruto any time soon. I have lost all confidence in that story, and I cannot think of anything for it. I'm truly sorry, but perhaps I'll finish it in the future. Thank you though :)

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

It was raining today, and accompanied with the cold of October, it was nearly hailing outside. Sakura's short hair whips about her rosy cheeks as she opens the door to the coffee shop for me. I mutter a thanks before stepping in, the warm air planting kisses to my cheeks. I find us a table for two in the corner and take a seat, my teeth chattering from the cold. "You gonna be okay?" she asks while taking the seat across from me. I nod as she scoots in, the legs of the chair scraping against the tiled floor.

"Can you believe it's hailing on Halloween? What a bust." She says with the shake of her head.

"I know," I agree, and then reach for a menu. "I hope Naruto doesn't cancel the party tonight."

"Speaking of the party…" Sakura says with an arched brow. I hide behind my menu, trying not to make my discomfort noticeable. "Are you gonna be…I don't know, ready?"

"Ready? You know me, Sakura, I don't take long to get dressed." I say, playing dumb. Of course I knew what she really meant, but the truth is, I had no idea what the answer was. Was I ready to see Naruto and be near him in that kind of environment?

"Right…" she says with narrowed eyes. And then they widen and she adds, "Oh my gosh, wait…Naruto's living with Kiba now. Will Kiba's mom let them have a party tonight?"

"Oh yeah… I don't know," I say, glad that the topic was now averted. "They haven't said anything about cancelling though, so I'm sure it's still on." I shrug. Just then, the barista makes her way to our table with a small smile.

"What would-"

"We'd like two vanilla caramel lattes, thank you." Sakura says, interrupting the girl, who looks shocked. She blinks, jots down the order, and then turns away without a word. I glare at Sakura.

"You couldn't let me order my own drink?" I ask chidingly. "And I don't even like vanilla!"

"You'll get over it." Sakura says with a shrug while reaching for the sugar packets at the center of the table. Like there wasn't enough sugar in those drinks to begin with…

Could this week get any worse? I'd written in to Chieko a week ago and the column hadn't been published yet. The newspaper was jam packed with news about Trick or Treating for Omnisef and the Halloween Bash at the Rec Center, but nothing on Chieko's part. Could I have…scared her away? Maybe she didn't want to give advice anymore…

I sigh and turn to the window, watching as the rain began to bounce off of the sidewalk like fleas. "Oh crap… I think it's starting to hail now." I say.

"Oh cool, maybe we won't get bombarded with trick or treaters then." Sakura says with a grin. Just then, the barista comes back with our drinks. She sets them down, gives me a smile, and then walks away without glancing at Sakura. But the pinkette doesn't notice. She's already ripping apart the sugar packets and dumping them in. I grimace.

"Could you be any more disgusting?" I inquire. "I mean, you'll be having enough sugar tonight…"

Sakura gasps. "Hinata! Sasuke and I aren't gonna do anything with the rest of you guys there!" she shakes her head. "Sickening…"

"I meant the candy!" I say with a laugh, and then throw her empty packets of sugar at her. "Anyway…I wonder what we're gonna do."

"Probably watch scary movies or something," Sakura says.

Suddenly, two guys walking past the window outside pause and turn to us. One is wearing sweats, and his hands are tucked into his pockets, and the other is wearing a black beanie, greasy curls poking out from underneath. The one with the beanie smiles at us creepily, but the boy in the sweats just stares. His eyes are locked on mine, and he looks as if he's contemplating something. I shrink back, watching as he plays with something in his pocket.

"Get lost!" Sakura screeches while banging on the window, drawing attention from other customers. The boy who was smiling begins to laugh as the other one, the scary one, turns and walks away, his pocket still moving as he disappears into the hail. The other boy trails after him slowly, still laughing as Sakura huffs under her breath.

"Bastards."

…

I rush for the door as soon as I hear the bell ring. Tenten watches me with raised brows as I slip on the doormat, lunge for the handle, and swing open the door as I land on my rump. Sakura stares down at me with a hysterical expression as Tenten begins to crack up from behind me. "Careful, Hinata," the brunette says from the couch. "If you try any more stunts, they may have to change the meaning of Halloween from scary to funny."

"You're not even funny," Sakura says as she enters the apartment, stepping over me in the process. I glare at both of them, Sakura for her rudeness and Tenten for her joke, before climbing to my feet.

"Yeah? I don't see you making any jokes." Tenten retorts.

"That's because it's Halloween. I save those for April." The pinkette says.

"No, you mean for when you're putting on makeup, right?" Tenten grins at her, but she just frowns.

"Tenten, you're not funny." Neji says as he enters the kitchen.

"Thank you," Sakura says as Tenten deflates on the couch.

"Whatever, I'm saving up for April Fools." The brunette says.

"Right," Sakura turns to me. "Come on," she holds up the bag in her hand. "We gotta get changed."

After what seemed like an hour but was really two hours, Sakura and I step out of my room in our costumes. I have on a small bit of black eyeliner and lip gloss, and Sakura has on mascara, green eye shadow, eyeliner, and, well, pretty much every makeup known to man.

"You guys look great," Neji says while giving me a half hug. "Be careful on those streets, okay? Especially in the hail."

"We know." I say with a smile. And then Sakura grabs me by the wrist and we're out the door, into the hallway, and down the stairs. When we get outside, it's cold and dark and still hailing, to our dismay. Well, to mine. Sakura's so cheeky about the fact that there won't be any trick or treaters at our door tonight to even notice that her hair is being ruined.

It was in loose curls, which looked really good on her, and there was a small clip in the shape of a flower pulling some of her bangs out of her face. I had my hair curled, too, since Sakura had offered to do it. They were tighter curls, but not too tight, and they reached my ribs. My bangs had been swept to the side and sprayed with hairspray.

We hurried through the storm towards Kiba's house, which was blocks away. When we arrived there about half an hour later, we saw that there was a car parked in the driveway, one that belonged to Sasuke. "He's here already," Sakura mumbles while dusting herself off.

"You look great." I say in encouragement just as the door swings open. And once again, that warm, homey feeling washes over me and I can feel myself being brought in, a part of the family, as the dogs scamper around my feet and the smell of barbeque chicken drifts up my nose.

"Hey guys," Kiba welcomes with a warm smile. He's dressed as a werewolf, no surprise there, and he has a fake leg of meat hanging from a chain around his neck. "You two look stunning…"

"Nice necklace…" Sakura says while eyeing him oddly. I giggle as he ushers the two of us inside, a blush dusting his cheeks as he mutters a whatever. Once inside, we're met by Sasuke, who's sitting on the couch with a small pug resting its chin on his leg. He's dressed as a vampire, complete with fake fangs and eyeliner. Sakura and I giggle at the pug on his lap and he blushes, scowling at us.

"How adorable," Sakura says while taking a seat beside him and petting the pug. Kiba shows me to the kitchen, leaving the two behind in the living room where commercials are playing on the TV screen.

"So your mom let you guys have the party here?" I inquire as he hands me a drink.

"Well she's out of town right now," he admits sheepishly, to which I raise my eyebrows. "But don't worry, I asked Hana… In exchange for something."

"For what?" I ask.

"She has to interview this girl for the open position as cashier at the pet store since the last one quit," he explains. "And she's busy at the vet's office tonight so she asked me to do it."

"Oh cool," I say while swirling my drink around.

"Yeah, and the girl is coming here tonight. To be interviewed, I mean. So I'll have to step out for a bit."

"Oh," I raise my eyebrows. That was…odd. "So… who else is here?"

"So far, just you two and Sasuke," Kiba answers. "Plus Naruto, but he's still upstairs getting ready."

"What's he dressed as?"

"Don't ask me; I wouldn't know," Just then, the doorbell rings. "Be back." He says, and then heads out of the kitchen.

I stand in the kitchen awkwardly, out of place, and then set my drink down on the counter and head for the bathroom to check on my hair. As I'm walking down the hall, though, I bump into someone. I yelp, startled, muttering an apology as the person peers at me from behind the shadows. They're silent, watching me. "Sorry." I say again, but they still don't answer.

"Hello…?" I peer closer, tilting my head at them just as a hand reaches out and catches my wrist. I gasp, eyes wide as the person's large, warm hand grips mine gently. "Um…um…I don't-"

"Hinata," I blink, heart stuttering in my chest as realization hits me. That was Naruto's voice. Why was he being so creepy? "Hinata, it's me, Naruto." He steps out of the shadows, a small smile on his face.

"Naruto," I breathe, and then stare down at our hands. He releases me, his cheeks reddening. "Why were you staring at me like that?"

"Um…because you look so…beautiful." He says slowly, quietly. I stare at him, cheeks heating to a million degrees. He thought I looked beautiful? But…How did I respond? What did I do?

"Thank you," I whisper. "You look nice too."

"Do I?" he raises his eyebrows and takes a step closer so that I can now fully see his outfit. He's dressed as a lion, his hair gelled to look like a mane, and he's wearing a yellow-brown body suit with a fuzzy tail sticking out the back.

"Um," I cough. "Yeah…you do…"

He lets out a chuckle, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Thanks for that," he says, and then places a hand on the small of my back. "Now come on. The movie's supposed to start in, like, thirty minutes."

I follow him into the living room, despite wanting to stay in the hall and chat alone with him. But when we enter, we find Amaya and Kiba standing beside the couch that Sakura and Sasuke occupy, and boy does Amaya look amazing. She's wearing a baby blue gypsy outfit complete with diamonds at the corners of her eyes and blue, sparkling streaks in her silver hair. Sakura and I both rise to our feet when we see her, jaws slacking.

"Oh my gosh, Amaya," Sakura gushes while grabbing her hands. "You look absolutely fantastic!"

"Yeah," I agree. "You look beautiful."

Amaya blushes at this, shying away from the two of us.

"Okay, okay, enough," Kiba hollers over us. "The movie's gonna start soon and we need snacks. So," he says, drawing out the word with a grin. "I've prepared smore nachos!"

Everyone's silent at this, and Kiba watches with furrowed brows as Naruto asks, "What the hell is that?"

"It's…it's like nachos," Kiba stutters. "But with gram crackers and chocolate and marshmallows…all mixed together."

"Sounds eventful," Sakura mutters while taking her seat next to Sasuke.

Half an hour later, the movie starts and we're all gathered around, Sakura and Sasuke taking up the small couch while Naruto, Kiba, and I share the floor, and Amaya steals away in the small lazy-boy chair. The bowl of smore nachos sits on the floor, now just smears of melted chocolate and cracker crumbs.

"So what's this movie about?" I whisper to Naruto as he drapes a blanket over the three of us. Kiba shrugs it off, muttering for us to shut up and stop being cunts, and then returns to the television, watching the screen with extreme fascination despite the fact that the movie hasn't even begun yet.

"I don't know; something about zombies and killer whales?" Naruto whispers back, to which I giggle.

"Sounds eventful," I say, mocking Sakura. She kicks me in the back of the head, chuckling under her breath as Kiba hushes all of us. And then the sound of scary music rolls along the walls, enveloping us as a flash of lightning appears on the screen. I wrap my arms around my legs, pulling my knees to my chest as I watch the rain hit the top of an abandoned house.

It was at that moment that I realized just how close Naruto and I were sitting. His thigh was brushing up against mine, and I could feel the heat radiating off of him through the thin bodysuit he wore. I lick my lips. I wanted nothing more than to kiss him at that moment, but I couldn't. I wanted him to like me, to fall back in love with me. I wanted him to be with me again.

Naruto turns to me then, catching me staring at him. My eyes widen and I try to turn away, cheeks darkening to crimson, but my head is stuck in that position and I can't help but stare into his deep azure eyes. He was so alluring, even when he was wearing something so ridiculous. I lick my lips again, suddenly very nervous.

"You alright?" he asks, causing my stomach to churn. I open my mouth to answer but then catch the look Kiba's shooting us and decide not to. I nod my head. "Okay, well if you get scared, you can hold onto me, alright?" and then a look of embarrassment crosses his face and he adds, "I mean, only if you want to."

I swallow. "Okay," I whisper back, my eyes darting to the silently fuming Kiba. I sit back against the couch, aware of Sakura's bony knees against the sides of my shoulders. This night…could be okay. It could all work out, I suppose.

…

Halfway into the movie, the doorbell rings and Kiba groans. "That boy sure loves his movies," Sakura whispers with a laugh as the brunette puts the movie on pause and climbs to his feet to answer the door. When the sound of kids screeching _trick or treat_ reaches us, Sakura groans as well. "Dammit! Even a hailstorm won't keep them away!"

Everyone laughs at this.

"Hey Hinata," Naruto says into my ear. I turn to him, brow arched. He's on his knees, in the process of standing up, when he reaches for my hand and pulls me with him. "Come on, I wanna talk to you."

I just barely catch the smirk Sakura gives me on the way out of the living room. Naruto leads me to the deck outback where it's hailing, but lightly. "Naruto, it's freezing out here," I say, teeth chattering. "And it's hailing."

"I know, but this is the only place where we can be alone. Kami knows if we stayed in the house, they would have eavesdropped," I nod, watching with a blush as he drapes an arm over my shoulders and pulls me into his chest. "Better?" he asks, to which I nod.

He was touching me. He was _finally_ touching me.

"What did you wanna talk about?" I inquire after a moment.

"Oh, um…" he looks foolish, his eyes darting from one place to the next. "I just…dammit, Hinata," he turns to me, grabbing my shoulders so that I'm no longer in his embrace but standing nose to nose with him. "When I saw you tonight, I just…couldn't help myself any longer. You look so…wow. And…" his eyes fall to his feet. "And you're mine and no one else's…and I don't want you to be single because then someone could snatch you up, and, well, you're just…" he groans, releasing my shoulders to grip his hair in fistfuls.

I smile gently, watching him make a mess of his hair. He pauses, eyes finding mine again, and then he releases his "mane", leaving it in an odd shape, and takes a step closer so that his breath is hot against my cheek. He gazes down into my eyes, towering over me, making me feel safe, warm. And then he lowers his head and places his lips to mine, and a wave of static electricity shoots up from the soles of my feet to the hairs on my head.

I kiss him back, savoring the sweet taste on his lips as my arms snake around his shoulders and pull him closer to me. Our bodies press against each other and I can feel his rock hard chest through the fabric of his clothes. I pull back for air before diving in again, this time kissing just his lower lip and tracing my tongue over the softness of it. I nibble, causing him to moan into my mouth, and my whole body begins to tremble as liquid fire runs through my veins.

I'd wanted this for so long. And now I finally had it. Had _him_.

He pulls away, breathing heavily against my skin. Then he smiles and plants a feather-light kiss to my nose, making me blush harder. "Hinata…will you be mine again?"

A choked sob escapes my lips as I bury my head into his warm chest. I can feel his arms wrap around me, envelope me in a warmth that only feels right when it's his. "Yes," I mumble against his chest. "Kami yes."

"Okay then," he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. He runs a hand through my hair before pulling me away from him. "Let's go back inside. It's getting pretty stormy out here." I nod my head and let him lead me back inside, holding his hand tightly so as to never let him go. When we enter the living room, the movie is still paused and Kiba is nowhere to be found, but in place of the pug that was once on Sasuke's lap is now a small, fluffy lab.

"Whose is that?" I ask as Naruto and I take our seats back on the floor. I can feel his hand in my hair again, this time dusting off all of the hailstones strewn through my hair.

"This is Chip," Sakura says in that annoying voice you use around anything cute. "He belongs to the girl that Kiba's interviewing. They're in his mom's study right now."

"And he made you guys keep the movie paused?" Naruto asks with a laugh. "What a chump."

"Speaking of chumps," Sasuke says, speaking to anyone other than Sakura for the first time that night. "Did you ask her out?"

"What did that have to do with chumps?" Naruto asks accusingly, his face lighting up with crimson. Sasuke shrugs, his gaze pressing. "Yeah, I asked her out. Not that it's any of your business." He finally mumbles.

"Aww," Sakura and Amaya gush in unison.

"I'm so happy for you, Hina," Sakura says, and then kicks Naruto in the back of the head, to which he whines. "And if you ever hurt her again, you'll have to deal with me. Got it?" Naruto nods, still whimpering as Sakura smirks in triumph.

"I'm hungry," Sasuke says, and then rises to his feet, stepping around me. "I'm gonna make some real nachos."

"I'll help." Amaya says, and trails into the kitchen after him.

Sakura, having felt the awkward tension in the air, says, "I'm gonna take a leak." And then makes her way to the bathroom, leaving Naruto and me alone. He drapes the blanket over us once again and then scoots closer to me.

"I'm so glad were together again," Naruto says. "I've wanted to be with you for so long. It killed me to break up with you, you know?" I swallow.

"Then why did you? I mean, you weren't protecting me at all…" I say, mumbling quietly.

"I know," he groans. "I don't know what I was getting at when I said that. I mean, looking back, I never helped you by staying away from you…I didn't help either of us."

"I'm just glad you finally came to your senses." I say, and rest my head on his chest. He places his chin over my head and I can feel his jaw tensing in a smile.

"So how long do you think we were out there?" he asks. "I mean, first the trick or treaters come, and then the girl for the interview… Must have been, what, fifteen minutes?"

I laugh. "I'm not sure," I say. "But I'm glad we took our time." and then I blush, remembering our kiss and how I took charge.

Just then, Sakura walks back in and takes a seat on the couch silently. Naruto and I share a look but don't say a word as she pulls her knees to her chest and rests her chin atop them. The sound of hail hitting the roof and sides of the house sounds like static in the silence of the living room, and it doesn't help with the already eerie presence Sakura gives off.

"Thanks so much," someone says from the end of the hall. There's the sound of laughter and then Kiba emerges from the darkness, a girl trailing after him. She has tan skin like his and dark, unruly hair that reaches her ribs. Her eyes are chocolate brown with rings of red around the pupils, and she wears glasses and a KHS Band jersey sweater.

"Hi," she says shyly from behind him. Her eyes find Chip, who's sitting beside the gloomy Sakura, and she lets out a small whistle. The puppy's ears perk up and he hops off of the couch and hurries towards the girl.

"This is Misaki," Kiba says while turning to the girl. "She's officially Hana's coworker and she's staying for the rest of the party."

"Congratulations," Naruto says with a grin. "I'm Naruto and this is Hinata, my girlfriend."

I blush at his introduction and give a shy smile, to which the girl laughs. "Cool," she says, and then turns to Sakura. The pinkette doesn't even look up. Misaki turns back to Kiba with an awkward, thin lipped smile. He rolls his eyes.

"That's Sakura, and Sasuke and Amaya are in the…uh…"

"The kitchen." Naruto finishes.

"Right."

"Hey Kiba," the blond says. "Could you go get my laptop? I wanna see if it's working yet."

"I doubt it," the brunette says, and motions for Misaki to take a seat on the floor beside me.

"What's wrong with your laptop?" I inquire.

"It's got a bug or something. I haven't been able to turn it on all week." Naruto says.

"And he's been stressing about it nonstop," Kiba adds in an annoyed tone. "Like he's actually got something to do on there."

"For your information, I do," Naruto says with a glower. "Whatever. Can we start the movie already?"

As if on cue, Amaya and Sasuke emerge from the kitchen, each holding one large bowl of nachos. Sasuke sets his bowl in between himself and Sakura on the couch while Amaya sets hers on the floor. "Dig in," Amaya says with a smile, and then takes a chip.

Kiba turns the movie back on and things begin to fall into place again. I can feel Sakura worming away from Sasuke little by little from behind me, and it makes me wonder if maybe the two had a fight while everyone was gone. Could that be why she was upset? Looked as if I'd have to find out.

…

Nearing the end of the movie, I could tell that already, Amaya and Kiba were asleep, which was funny, considering Kiba was the one who was most enthusiastic about the movie. It was only twelve thirty five and the movie had been going on for three hours already. I was getting sick of watching zombies slay killer whales.

Naruto rests his head on my shoulder, and when I turn to look at him, I see that he's fallen asleep. Misaki sits with her legs sprawled out before her, Kiba's head resting on her right calf, and she's wide awake, texting someone on her phone. Amaya's knocked out on the floor right beneath the chair she'd previously been sitting in, and Sakura and Sasuke are whispering quietly behind me.

Suddenly, there's a flash of lightning outside and the wind begins to pick up. Misaki looks up from her phone, gaze landing on mine. "Sounds bad," she says, and then frowns down at her phone. "Lost connection."

"Great," I say while pulling the blanket up over Naruto's and my shoulders. "How are you gonna get home?"

"I'll just sleep here," She says with a shrug. Then she turns back to me, gaze skeptical, and says, "Wait, you're not thinking of going home in this storm, are you?"

"My cousin wouldn't let me stay the night at a boy's house," I say sheepishly. "But…I'm not sure. I'll wait and see if it lets up a little."

Misaki shakes her head.

"I'll give you a ride, Hinata," Sasuke says from behind me. I turn and glance at him over my shoulder. "I think Sakura wants to go home too."

I turn to the pinkette, who turns away with a deep frown. "Sakura, do you wanna talk?" I ask, to which she doesn't say anything. Sasuke sighs.

"Sakura, if you don't get a better attitude then I'm taking you home right now." He says.

"What the fuck ever," Sakura retorts, and then slithers off of the couch. "I hate you." She steps over Kiba, waking him up in the process, and then runs up the stairs.

"Where does she think she's going?" Kiba says in a drowsy voice. He looks down at Misaki's leg and then blushes. "Whoops. Sorry."

"I'll go talk to her," I say, and then turn to Naruto, who's still resting against me.

"Out like a light," Amaya says with a laugh. I turn to her, startled.

"Let's put on another-" Kiba starts, but is interrupted by a clap of lightning. I jump, causing Naruto to stir. He lifts his head up, eyes finding mine. Suddenly, the lamp beside Sasuke goes off, and the quiet humming of the heater shuts off. "Oh no…" Kiba says.

"Did the power just go off?" Amaya asks through the darkness.

I cling to Naruto, my lips pressing together tightly. "Hey Kiba…" Naruto says. "Can Hinata and I go up to my room?"

"What the fuck?" Sasuke and Kiba say in unison.

"It's gonna get cold," Naruto offers sheepishly. "And besides, my ass is killing me."

"You-you don't need my permission," Kiba stutters, and then adds, "But don't you _dare _fuck her!"

"I won't!" Naruto screeches, and then rises to his feet. He helps me up and then we make our way slowly through the darkness, up the stairs, and to Naruto's room. He opens the door and then leads me to his bed. "Wait a sec," he says while folding back the sheets. "Okay, there." I climb into the bed, my body tingling at the thoughts racing through my mind.

I kick off my shoes, letting them fall to the ground, and then I pause. "Um…Naruto?" I say.

"Yeah?"

"I don't think I can sleep in this. It's really…"

I don't even have to finish, because Naruto's already rifling through a drawer beside his bed. He tosses me a shirt and then says, "Wear that."

"Just this?" I stutter in embarrassment.

"Yeah... I mean, we're dating. And I won't look."

"Not that that's even possible," I add, and then begin to undress. I can hear the shuffling of clothes on Naruto's side of the bed as he takes off his bodysuit and changes into what I assume are his pajamas. I place my costume beside my shoes on the floor and then climb under the sheets, finding Naruto's warm chest to snuggle up against. "Thanks for suggesting this." I whisper.

"Much better, isn't it?" he asks with a grin. And then he plants a kiss to the top of my head and I can feel my eyelids getting heavy. "I love you, Hinata."

"I love you too, Naruto."

**A/N: **Damn that was terrible T.T I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so, so, so, so, so, so sorry! Anyway, comment please…Yup…haha x3


	19. Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Chapter Nineteen:

~Every Rose Has Its Thorn

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I hope you all liked that last chapter. This one is gonna be jam-packed with drama though =^^= So hold on to your horsies hehe comment please!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. _

When I wake up the next morning, it's still dark outside, but not the scary dark that it was last night. It's the grayish light of the sky that seems to create a dull film over everything, like the picturesque moments captured in photos of London. There's just enough light for me to see Naruto's peaceful face beside mine, his lips parted slightly as he inhales and exhales.

"Naruto," I whisper. He doesn't respond, doesn't stir. What time was it? Neji was going to _kill _me. I bend over the bed and reach for my phone, which is sitting beside my shoes on the floor. I check for any calls or messages but my service was gone. I guess the power lines hadn't been fixed since last night.

Then I check the time and see that it's six fifty in the morning. Six fifty on a Sunday…and baseball season was over so Neji should still be asleep. Maybe I had a chance at sneaking into the apartment? I turn to face Naruto, my curled hair now loose spirals framing my face and body, and plant a kiss to his forehead. Then I climb out of bed, throw on my costume, and fold up the shirt Naruto had lent me, pausing to grin at the rainbow kitty on the front. How many of these did he have?

Then I creep down the stairs, pausing to look over the banister at the few people in the living room. Kiba was nowhere to be found; he'd probably retired to his bedroom after Naruto and I had. Misaki was sprawled out on the floor, a brown quilted blanket thrown over her, and Sasuke was asleep on the couch. Amaya, to my surprise, was on the other end of the couch, her feet beside Sasuke's head and vice versa. I raise my eyebrows. Where was Sakura?

Then I remember last night and how she'd been so upset. I sigh and slowly creep back up the stairs. I open the first door I see and find Kiba asleep in his bed, three dogs at his feet. I close it with a smile and then open the next door to find Kiba's mother, along with Hana, in the queen sized bed of what I'm assuming is their parents' room. At this, I realize that Sakura is probably in Hana's room, fast asleep in the brunette's bed.

And when I open the last door, I find myself correct. Well, somewhat correct. She's curled up in a ball at the center of the bed, but she's not asleep. Her eyes are open wide, staring out into space as if someone was breathing on her neck, a knife readily at her throat. She looked scared.

"Sakura," I say, and close the door behind me. Her eyes dart to me, and in a split second, she has her face buried into her pillow. Well, Hana's pillow. I take a seat at the edge of the bed and press a hand to her cheek. "What's wrong? Why are you and Sasuke fighting?"

She flinches and I retract my hand. I watch her closely as she turns to me and says, "He…thinks of me as a sister."

I press my lips together. "Well…he loves you, Sakura-"

"But not the way I love him."

"I know…it's hard," I say, and bite my lip. Did I know? Naruto actually loved me…But I knew pain. I could relate to it. "I know it hurts right now, but Sasuke isn't everything, you know?"

"He's the only one I've loved since kindergarten." She whispers. I almost drop my jaw. Now that was commitment.

"Sakura, you're going to be an amazing person one day. You already are one. You're smart and beautiful and funny and talented. You can do anything you set your mind to. And besides, you're a complete catch," I pause, realization striking me in the chest. Weren't those the words Naruto used when he was cheering me up from my incident in the classroom that one day? When I got the nickname Titicaca…?

"I am?" she asks while looking up at me, bleary eyed. I nod.

"Yeah, and there's gonna be a guy out there who will love you for all you're worth." I add.

She's silent for a moment, and all I can hear is the quiet hum of her breathing. And then she murmurs, "He and Amaya…they were flirting in the kitchen," her eyes flit to mine, and in that moment, all the pain in her eyes vanishes and the bright emerald that I was used to returns. "She's liked him all along, Hinata. Not Naruto."

I sit there, barely breathing as I watch her smile sadly up at me. What was I to say to this? I was…I was _relieved. _But I couldn't say so, because the very thing that lifted my spirits and erased all the doubt and wonder I had about Amaya was what completely devastated my best friend.

"It's okay to be happy," Sakura says, surprising me. "I would be too."

And then she turns over in Hana's bed and motions for me to leave with the wave of her hand. I slowly rise to my feet, glancing only once behind my shoulder at the girl who now sleeps peacefully in the bed that's too large for her. And then I'm out the door, down the stairs, and outside into the cold of the morning. The first morning of November.

As I make my way down the vacant streets, I note the clapping sound of my heels, and then the soft echo that follows, like padding of feet. Constantly, I check behind me, letting my paranoia get the best of me. Each time, though, I come up empty. No one's behind me; it's just my imagination.

As I pass shop after shop, each one closed, I find myself wishing I'd stayed back at Kiba's house. The streetlights were out from the storm and none of the shops were open to provide any amount of light for comfort. There was always that nagging feeling at the back of my mind, and the sound of footsteps after each clap of my heel. And the feeling of someone's breath on my neck. And the click of metal.

I pause in midstep, and not even a second later, I feel someone's hand shoot up to my mouth and clamp tightly. Now I can really feel someone's breath on my neck, hot, sticky breath that smells of cigarettes and coffee. I swallow, wriggling in the man's grip, wrestling for freedom. But he has none of it.

He twists me around so that I'm facing him, his hand still over my mouth, and my eyes widen when I meet his gaze. It was the guy from before, the one who had been staring at me through the coffee shop window. The creepy one who was playing with something in his pocket.

My eyes dart down to his pants pocket and find that his hand is already inside, the fabric of his sweatpants wrinkling as his hand moves back and forth. The sound of metal clicking follows and I shut my eyes as tears begin to form at the corners.

It was a knife. It had to be a knife. He was going to rape me and then kill me. Leave me for dead in the streets. In this outfit? Kami, I didn't blame him!

"Hey there, moonshine," he says with a grin. "You should have known better to walk the streets alone at this hour. Especially after yesterday morning."

He loosens his grip on my mouth and leads me into an alley. "Why me?" I ask, my voice muffled behind his hand. But he hears me nonetheless, and shoves me against the brick wall, causing me to wince.

"The first thing I noticed was your eyes," he says. "The way they shine like a pair of moons."

_Moonshine. _

"So?" I say, voice shaky. "What do you want?"

"I'm not like Ryuuji," the man says. "I'm not here for your body. I'm here for other reasons. Business, moonshine. Strictly business."

Business? Was this…a mafia or something? What was going on?! Who was Ryuuji? He must mean that guy with the greasy hair…

"I'm here to make my mark," he says, inching closer. "I'm here for revenge and for pride."

"I don't have anything to do with you," I say, trying to make conversation. I knew that stalling was good, but I also knew that self defense was better than conversing. "I don't know you and I didn't do anything to hurt your pride-"

"This isn't about you," he says sharply, cutting me off. I flinch. "This is about me. You're just a pawn in the game. Understand?"

I stare him in the eyes, my lips set tightly in a thin line. What was I going to do? How the hell was I going to get out of this one?

He brushes the hair out of my face, fingering one of my curls, and then plants a kiss to my forehead. Then he takes my wrist and he brings it to his lips, kissing the inside, just below my hand. The sound of rushing water is all I hear, like static, as he makes the sharp clicking sound with the knife in his pocket. And then he reaches in and retrieves it.

The sound of water gets closer and closer until I realize it's not water I hear. It's the sound of tires. Someone was driving on the street and they were just about to pass! My eyes dart back to the man as the clicking sound repeats, and then they widen when I see what he's really holding. It's not a knife at all. It's a lighter.

He pops the top and then uses his thumb to light it. He raises it so that it's held in between our faces, glowing, illuminating our faces with orange and yellow and red. His grin is menacing as he slowly brings my wrist up towards his lips once more and plants another kiss to my skin. I can feel the heat from the lighter so intensely that it feels as if my face is melting.

And then, quick as lightning, he brings the lighter down to my wrist and it sears my skin. I let out an earsplitting scream, and the only sound I can hear is my own voice and footsteps in that one instant. A moment later, I find the man on the ground, someone else on top of him, landing blows to his face as if his punches weren't working. I stare down at the mark on my skin, the red blisters forming into the shape of a crescent moon.

Tears roll down my cheeks and land on my wrist, causing it to sting, but I don't pay any mind to it because before I know it, I'm being dragged out of the alley by my savior. His hand grips my good wrist as he pulls me into the light of the morning and then opens the car door for me.

My mouth opens as I stare at the car before me. This was Naruto's car. My head shoots up to meet my rescuer's gaze but he's already climbing into the car. I do so as well and then close it behind me, sitting with my hands folded in my lap. My head is turned so that I'm facing him, and my eyes never once leave his face.

He's staring down at the steering wheel, lips tight in a frown. "Why did you leave?" he asks.

I blink. "I…I had to get home."

"So you went out?" he nearly shouts, his eyes now finding mine. He looks torn, broken, confused. "In that costume? This early in the morning? Alone? And what did you think? You'd get home safely? That you're superwoman?" he shakes his head, takes a breath. "Sorry…I didn't mean…Kami," he looks worried now, more so than before. "Is your wrist okay?"

He reaches out and carefully takes my injured wrist in his hands. He inspects it, eyes watery. "Why did he do this?" he whispers angrily.

"He said it was business," I answer, choking on my words. "He said it was for revenge and honor, but that it had nothing to do with me. He said…he wanted to make his mark."

"Well he fucking did."

…

When I get home, I stand before the door to my apartment, eyes closed, readying myself. Naruto is at my side, arm draped over my shoulder protectively. "He'll understand," Naruto says. "It's okay."

And so I trust him and open the door. But what I find puts Naruto's words to shame. Utter shame.

On the couch sits a balling Tenten, Neji standing beside her, one arm crossed over his torso as he shouts into the end of the phone he holds. I let the door shut silently behind me, eyes wide and dry as I watch the two make a mess of things. Tenten looks up from her hands and then she breaks into another sob.

"What's…going on?" I inquire. Neji looks up from his phone to see Naruto and me standing awkwardly by the door. He hangs up the phone and throws it onto the couch.

"Where were you?" he asks, but his gaze is on Naruto.

"I fell asleep. I'm sorry-" I start, but Neji shakes his head, cutting me off.

"It doesn't matter. Hanabi is gone."

My eyes widen and I can feel Naruto's grip on me tighten. "She's what?" he asks from beside me.

"She ran away," Tenten wails from behind Neji.

"She ran away," Neji reiterates. "She's gone."

I drop to the floor, Naruto falling slowly with me, kneeling beside me as I burst into tears. "I called the police," Neji continues. "They're scouting the area for her. We don't know where she could have gone."

Naruto wraps his arms around me, shielding me from Neji's harsh gaze. He kisses the top of my head, hushing me. "They'll find her," he says, and then turns to Neji. "I think you should get back on the phone with the police." He says.

"They're doing the best-"

"Not because of Hanabi," Naruto interrupts. And then he lifts my wrist for my cousin and best friend to see, and I wince at their expressions. Tenten's sobs grow deeper as Naruto explains, "Someone burned Hinata on the street. I think he's part of a gang, and he needs to be found and arrested."

"He _what_?" Neji spits, and then grabs Naruto by the collar. I gasp as he lifts Naruto to his feet. "And where were you when this happened, tough guy?"

"I left the house," I start, desperate to save Naruto from any blame. Neji turns to me. "I left without anyone else's knowledge. I wanted to get home before you woke up. But then this guy…he got me and, well, Naruto came looking for me. He saved me."

Neji's gaze returns to Naruto, and after a moment of staring him down, he releases him. The blond unwrinkles his shirt before helping me to my feet. "I think you need to call the police." He says again.

And this time, Neji complies.

…

Naruto and I sit at the police station, waiting for them to call me in to give my testimony and to describe the man on the street. Naruto has his laptop balanced on one leg, the other being used to rest my injured wrist that is now wrapped in gauze. He holds my hand gently, his touch feather-light, careful not to hurt me.

"I wish they'd scrubbed my arm," I say bitterly. Naruto looks at me through the corner of his eyes, brow arched. "That guy kissed my wrist twice. And then he kissed my forehead." I use my free hand to rub my forehead vigorously, to which Naruto reaches out and stops me from doing.

"You're making a red mark," he says, and then releases my hand. "You can take a shower when you get home, okay?" I nod, and then he purses his lips, eyes averting back to his laptop screen. "Speaking of which…would you want me to stay with you for the rest of the day?"

I smile at him. "Yes, Naruto, I'd love that."

He grins back at me.

"Hinata Hyuga," a woman says from an open office. She smiles. "Right this way." Naruto kisses me on the lips before releasing me, and I make my way towards the open door that the woman is standing beside. And then she closes it behind me and a world of questions begins.

…

Naruto groans while clicking random buttons on his laptop. "Stuck on a level?" someone says from behind him. The blond turns to find a man dressed in a suit with a gun holster tied to his waist. He shakes his head.

"Nah my computer's been broken for about a week and I can't fix it." He says.

The man takes a seat beside the boy and motions for him to hand over the laptop. Naruto complies and the man gets to work. He types in a few codes, presses a variety of buttons that Naruto had no idea the use of, and then out of nowhere, Naruto's screensaver pops up, a picture of himself and Kiba.

"Woah…" Naruto breathes. "How'd you do that?"

"That's for me to know and you to…well, just take your laptop, kid." The man says, and hands the laptop to the boy. Naruto grins at him.

"Thanks," he says, and then watches as the man enters an office, leaving him with his baby. "Finally," he says, and then logs onto his email. His eyes widen when he finds a letter addressed to Chieko, one that is pages long. He presses his lips together and exhales through his nose.

"Misery loves me, huh?"

…

"They still haven't found her yet," Neji says as we walk through the door to our apartment. "They've sent maybe three search parties in groups of four. I mean, come on, Konoha is a pretty big city. We need more than that; she could be anywhere!" and then he turns to Tenten, whose eyes are red and swollen. "Tenten, you didn't even like Hanabi. Why are you crying?"

She shrugs, tissue in hand as she dabs at her nose. "I don't know…she was warming up to me, you know?"

Neji makes an incredulous expression, as if he really didn't know, and then shakes his head at her. Naruto leads me to my room, steering me past Hanabi's closed door, which now seems so much…less inviting.

"Can I just…?" I reach my hand out tentatively for her door but Naruto doesn't pause. He takes my outstretched hand and holds it in his as he opens my door just across the hall.

"No, Hinata…not now. Not when you're in this condition." He turns to me, eyes broken, like an azure stained-glass window broken by the threats of a tsunami. His eyes are watering as he stares down at me.

"Okay," I whisper, and follow him into my room. He releases my hand and shuts the door behind him. "I'm going to get a shower." I say, and reach for a fresh pair of clothes in my closet. Naruto takes a seat on my bed, lap top beside him as he unfolds the sheets and fluffs the pillows on my side of the bed. Then he kicks off his shoes and lies down, smiling sadly up at me.

"I'll be waiting, Hina baby." He says, to which I smile.

I close the bathroom door behind me, leaving Naruto to whatever it was he would be doing.

Naruto pulls up the file from Misery Loves Me and begins to read the letter for the third time. He couldn't fathom how someone could have such a rough time. And now this person was probably feeling really depressed since he hadn't responded to her in a week.

Naruto tugs at the hair on his head, inwardly cursing himself and his damned computer. Then he opens up a blank file and begins to type his response. He pauses after every two sentences, re-reading what he had just written and pressing his lips together. This person was fragile. He needed to consider his words before typing them.

By the end of his response, he felt as if he knew this person somehow…

_Eh, she probably just reminds me of someone on TV or something, _he thinks while sending his document to Amaya to be published in next week's paper. He grins at his work just as the door to the bathroom opens.

…

I step out of the bathroom in a pair of sweatpants accompanied by a grey flowered tee and a pink cardigan to find Naruto setting his laptop to the side and smiling up at me. "I like that look," he says as I climb onto the bed beside him. I grin. "It looks nice on you."

I climb under the covers and close my eyes as he leans down and kisses me gently on the lips. "Thank you," I whisper, and then wrap my arms around his neck as he turns on his side and lies beside me, one arm draped over my side and the other playing with my hair.

"So what do you think was wrong with Sakura last night?" he asks while running his fingers through my wet hair, combing it out.

I frown. "She told me this morning," Naruto raises his eyebrows. "It was just Amaya and Sasuke. She got jealous."

"Of what? That teme doesn't even _talk_ to other girls." Naruto says with a small smirk.

"Well he was last night. Sakura says they were flirting." I say.

"Flirting?" Naruto shakes his head while brushing my hair behind my shoulders. He rests his arm above my head. "I don't think so. I think all that sugar Sakura had was getting to her head."

"I don't know…" I mumble, and then press my cheek to his chest. "She looked really upset. I think she may be right."

"Well I guess neither of us can know for sure." He says, and then kisses the top of my head.

"I suppose so."

**A/N: **I hope that wasn't TOO much drama? I mean, I tend to overdo it sometimes -_- Haha but seriously, there's more to that thug. It wasn't just a random thing… ;) Anyway, comment please!


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